This live-streamed event, which can be watched on the SBS Assyrian Facebook page, came following Younan’s passing on the 18th of August, 2020 in Arizona, USA.
Younan had been battling illness for almost a year, and his death was met with an outpouring of emotion from members of his families and SBS colleagues.
The online meeting was joined by senior leaders from the church, political parties, not-for-profit organisations and representatives of parliament and official government bodies.
The program commenced with a short speech by the Patriarch of the Chaldean Church in Iraq and the world, Cardinal Mar Luis Sako.
His Beatitude highlighted his friendship with the late Wilson Younan as well as his great contribution to the Assyrian media.
H.B also added that Younan was “a unique individual” who “had his own school of thoughts that other people should follow and adhere to”.
Our next guest was His Beatitude Mar Meelis Zaia, Metropolitan of the Assyrian Church of the East presiding over Australia, New Zealand, and Lebanon.
H.B took part in numerous interviews over the years with Younan regarding a vast variety of topics, and he said his friend “knew the type of illness he was fighting, however, he was courageous and hopeful”.
H.B also added that “His passing is a loss to the entire Church of the East including all its denominations…he dedicated time to bravely spread the word of truth to all our people around the world.”
The final guest from clergy was His Beatitude Mar Yaqou, the Metropolitan of the Ancient Church of the East presiding over Australia and New Zealand who described Younan as a “very honest man” and the fact that he was awarded an Order of Australia from the Queen, reflects his hard-working characteristics.
Younadam Kanna, the secretary-general of the Assyrian Democratic Movement and member of the Iraqi Parliament shared his thoughts about Younan through a pre-recorded video.
He called Younan a “professional media man that was very serious in his work”, adding that his friend was always eager to cover the latest affairs of the Assyrian community in Iraq and had the aim to link the homeland diaspora together.
The event was also joined by three female Assyrian leaders from different parts of the world.
Pascal Warda, the president of Hamurabi organisation for human rights said Younan was always aware and well informed about his politics, our community’s current affairs, and other related topics. She further added that he never asked questions to just get the program going, but instead, he valued the news and he was a true media man that always sought the truth.
Carmen Lazar, the manager of the Assyrian Resource Centre said Younan covered many historical events and programs. She also said that he always showed interest in topics like language, refugees, settlement, and community service as he constantly interviewed her to get more details.
Ms Lazar concluded with sharing her deepest condolences to Younan’s family.
Dr Marlin Awisha, a member of the board of trustees of the Iraqi media network, who also joined us from Baghdad said that although she had never met Younan in person, the statements from the previous speakers about his hard work and contribution are enough evidence to prove what a great man he was.
Hermiz Shahen, president of the Assyrian Universal Alliance Australian chapter, joined our event to share the highlights of his friendship and interactions with Younan.
Mr Shahen added that even if Younan is not with us physically, his place is always maintained in our hearts and his beautiful soul remains in our thoughts.
From the United States, the president of the Assyrian American National Federation, Martin Youmaran who used to see Younan every year at the Assyrian convention in the States, shares his experience with his good friend in which to him, Younan was an ‘older brother’.
Mr Youmaran also added that Younan was a unifying figure that always brought people together.
Midhat Al-Bazi, a journalist and a writer based in Sydney, shared to the audience his knowledge about how Younan began his career in journalism after he became the executive producer of SBS Assyrian.
Mr Midhat highlighted Younan’s dedication as he notes that he used to tour cafes to measure and see how many community members were listening to the radio and seek feedback from them.
Continuing into the event, we were joined by the manager of the famous Assyrian website ankawa.com, Ameer Al-Malih.
Our guest told our audience that both, he and Younan had the vision and goal to share different political views to the public through media.
Mr Ameer also stated that Younan and SBS Assyrian in general used Ankawa as a reliable source in his interviews and programs.
Youhanna Bedaweed, the president of the Chaldean League - Melbourne branch, opened his remarks by stating how sad it is to appear in SBS Assyrian without being able to see or speak with Younan.
Mr Bedaweed stated that “journalism and media were like drugs to Wilson…he always mentioned that the motives behind his work in SBS were not for personal benefits, but instead he wanted to contribute back to the community”.
Romeo Hakkari, the secretary-general of Bet Nahrain Democratic Party, said that although Younan was living in Australia, his thoughts, mind, and heart were with his people in his homeland.
Our guest also added that “on behalf all of our people here, we are sharing our deepest condolences to his soul”.
From Melbourne, Councillor of Hume City Council, Nr Joseph Haweil shared his experience growing up listening and learning from Younan.
He said Younan was very special and unique as he always supported and valued the youth, adding that he always gave the opportunity to the youth through his program and interviews.
Before the online meeting concluded, the SBS Assyrian team highlighted their former colleague’s achievements and the awards he had received through his career.
The organising team also thanked the guests for the unprecedented live event that took place and wished that it will occur in the future for discussions about a variety of topics.
ܩܐ ܕܝܕܥܸܬ ܕܵܟ݂ܝܼ ܚܘܟܡܵܐ ܐܣܬܪܵܠܵܝܵܐ ܝܠܹܗ ܦܠܵܚܵܐ ܥܲܡ COVID-19 ܐ݇ܙܸܠ݇ܝܼ Government response to the outbreak .
ܩܵܐ ܙܲܘܕܵܐ ܡܣܘܕܥܵܢܘܼܬܵܐ ܒܠܸܫܵܢܵܐ ܐܸܢܓܠܹܫܵܝܵܐ ܣܵܚܒܸܪ ܠܫܵܘܦܵܐ
Australian Government Department of Health.
ܡܘܕܥܢܘܵܬܵܐ ܕܘܙܝܼܪܘܬܐ ܕܣܘܥܪ̈ܵܢܹܐ ܓܲܘܵܝܹܐ ܩܐ ܟܢܘܫܝܹܐ ܐܣܪܬܪ̈ܵܠܵܝܹܐ ܒܠܸܫܵܢܘܿܟ݂ in your language.
ܐܢܵܫܹ̈ܐ ܓܵܘ ܐܣܬܪܠܝܐ ܘܵܠܹܐ ܕܗܵܘܝܼ ܪܸܚܩܵܐ ܡܸܚܕ݂ܵܕܹ̈ܐ ܡܝܼܬܪܵܐ ܘܦܲܠܓܹܐ 1.5 . ܘܚܙܝܼ ܓܘ ܐܘܼܚܕܵܢܘܿܟ݂ ܟܡܵܐ ܝܠܹܗ ܡܸܢܝܵܢܵܐ ܕ ܟܦܲܫܝܵܬ݂ܵܐ. https://www.sbs.com.au/language/english/how-australia-s-states-and-territories-are-relaxing-coronavirus-restrictions
ܐܸܢ ܪܓ݂ܵܫܵܐ ܗ݇ܘܸܬ ܒܩܲܪܬܵܐ ܐܵܘ ܬܲܚܘ̈ܝܵܬܵܐ ܕܐܸܢܦܠܵܘܲܢܙܵܐ، ܡܲܪܝܸܙ ܠܨܲܚܨܲܝܬܵܐ ܒܲܡܚܲܝܬܵܐ ܬܠܝܦܘܿܢ ܠܐܵܣܝܵܐ ܕܝܼܠܘܿܟ݂، ܐܵܘ ܩܪܝܼ ܠܪܘܩܡܐ ܕܡܲܘܕܥܵܢܘܼܬ݂ܵܐ ܚܘܼܠܡܵܢܲܝܬܵܐ ܕܟܘܪܘܢܐ ܦܵܝܪܸܣ ܐܲܬ݂ܪܵܝܵܐ ܥܲܠ 1800020080.
ܛܸܒܹܐ ܘܡܵܘܕܥܵܢܘܵܬ݂ܵܐ ܦܸܪܝܹܐ ܠܲܝܗܝ ܒ 63 ܠܸܫܵܢܹ̈ܐ ܓܵܘ ܫܵܘܦܵܐ http://www.sbs.com.au/coronavirus
