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Syriac Cultural Association concludes Sixth Mardutho Festival in Beth Zalin
Syriac Cultural Association concludes Sixth Mardutho Festival in Beth Zalin
13/09/2026BETH ZALIN (QAMISHLI), Gozarto (Jazira) — The sixth Mardutho Festival, an annual celebration of Syriac heritage, music and folklore, concluded Saturday evening in Beth Zalin (Qamishli), bringing together cultural organizations, church representatives, government officials and members of the Syriac (Aramean-Assyrian-Chaldean) community.
Held under the slogan “A heritage we carry, an identity we take pride in and a culture we plant in our generations,” the festival was organized under the patronage and supervision of the Syriac Cultural Association in Syria and the Hassakeh Directorate of Culture. Its second and final day took place on Sept. 12 at the Mar Gabriel Syriac Orthodox Hall in Beth Zalin.
The closing ceremony was attended by representatives of institutions affiliated with the Bethnahrin National Council (Mawtbo Umthoyo D’Bethnahrin, MUB), church, cultural and social institutions, clergy, directors of several government institutions, Hassakeh Deputy Governor Ahmad al-Hilali and Hassakeh Directorate of Culture Director Abdul Majid Khalaf.
Abdul Majid KhalafThe festival’s closing program combined traditional music, Syriac folklore and theatrical performances, with organizers presenting the event as part of an effort to preserve Syriac cultural traditions and pass them to younger generations.
Khalaf, the director of the Hassakeh Directorate of Culture, praised the festival and its organizers, recalling cultural festivals and public celebrations held across Hassakeh and Gozarto (Jazira) in previous years.
He highlighted the role such events have played in reflecting the region’s tradition of coexistence among its different peoples and communities, and said the directorate would continue to provide the resources needed to support similar cultural initiatives.
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Khalaf also expressed support for organizing future festivals in cooperation with other communities, describing them as a way to showcase Hassakeh’s cultural diversity and the traditions of coexistence associated with the region.
Ahmad Al-HilalyHilali, the deputy governor of Hassakeh, likewise praised the festival’s musical and folkloric performances, saying that the Mardutho Festival reflected the region’s social diversity and its tradition of coexistence.
He described the festival as a message of hope for Syria’s cultural and social future and wished the Syriac Cultural Association continued success in preserving and promoting Syriac heritage.
The artistic program opened with traditional songs performed by the Naum Faiq Center Choir in Beth Zalin and the Toma Nahroyo Center in Qabre Hewore (al-Qahtaniyah).
The Yarthutha Folkloric Troupe, comprising children and adults, followed with a theatrical folkloric performance depicting aspects of Beth Zalin’s history and cultural heritage.
Yarthutha Folkloric Troupe Naum Faiq ChoirThe Aurelia Ensemble, affiliated with the Naum Faiq Center, then performed a selection of traditional songs accompanied by keyboard and violin.
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Three young performers from Tel Tamr, Chanel, Anabel and Maribel Esho, also took the stage, presenting national songs in Eastern Syriac.
The program continued with a folkloric performance by the Lamita Folkloric Group, affiliated with the Toma Nahroyo Center.
The festival concluded with performances by emerging singer Maria Asmar and singer Michael Shamoun, accompanied by musician Thomas Shamoun.
At the close of the event, the organizers thanked the participating artists, cultural groups, audience members and others who contributed to the festival. They said the sixth edition would not mark the end of the event and reaffirmed the association’s intention to continue holding the Mardutho Festival annually.
Isho familyThe festival was covered by a number of Syriac, church and local media outlets, including SyriacPress, Suroyo TV and Suroyo FM.
The sixth Mardutho Festival comes as Syriac cultural institutions in Gozarto continue to use public cultural events, music and folklore to maintain the visibility of Syriac heritage and strengthen its transmission to younger generations.