A few months ago, three Syriac Christian groups launched an inter-Syriac dialogue in a bid to unify their national Syriac and Assyrian discourse and offer a common vision for the future of Syria.

These groups, which seek to represent Syriacs and Assyrians politically and constitutionally in Syria, include the Syriac Union Party, the Assyrian Democratic Party — both of which operate under the umbrella of the Syrian Democratic Council affiliated with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) — as well as the Assyrian Democratic Organization that is affiliated with the National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces.

According to the London-based The New Arab pan-Arab newspaper, the Syriac dialogue appears to be going the opposite direction of the inter-Kurdish dialogue, which has been marred with challenges since it was launched, preventing the Kurdish parties from reaching an agreement. The Syriac dialogue aims to reach common positions and a clear vision for the future regardless of the parties’ political affiliations. 

Although the Syriac forces participating in the dialogue have various affiliations — some close to the Kurds and others to the Syrian opposition — they all agree on the need to reach a common vision for the good of the country, away from any interference or mediation by any party.