On Sunday, May 10, Assyrians gathered in Södertälje to honor the memory of the author and poet Yuhanon Hanna Gergeo. It was an evening dedicated to a life spent in the service of the Assyrian language and literature—and a pledge to carry on in the same spirit.
There are people whose actions ensure that their legacy lives on forever. People whose work and service mean they are not simply forgotten after they have passed away. Malfono Yuhanon George is one such person.
On May 10, a large crowd gathered for a memorial service at the Assyrian Association in Södertälje, at the invitation of the Assyrian Democratic Organization in Sweden (ADO) and the Assyrian National Federation in Sweden (ARS).
The evening began with a moment of silence called for by the emcee, Fehmi Barkarmo, a moment of quiet in memory of Hanna Gergeo and other deceased members of the Assyrian movement. Then the speeches began.
Nemrod Barkarmo, chairman of the Assyrian National Federation, spoke about Hanna Gergeos’s legacy—particularly in the magazine Hujådå. His words served as a reminder of something that is easily forgotten: that organizations are sustained by the dedication, perseverance, and passion of individuals for what they believe in.
Ablahad Esteifo spoke about his memories of the late Hanna Gergeos from their time studying at the monastery, highlighting Gergeos’s intellectual and linguistic acuity as well as his burning passion for the Assyrian movement.
The family's speech was given by Hanna Gergeo's brother, Josef Gergeo, who thanked the organizations and those in attendance.
Finally, Sait Yildiz, also from ADO, gave a speech about Hanna Gergeos’s life’s work and their close relationship within ADO and ARS during the years when Sait served as chairman.
Music and Memory
The memorial service also included a short video presentation featuring images and memories from Hanna Gergeos’s life and work. Artists Ninib Lahdo and Bashar Yuhanon performed music, accompanied by Edward Danho and Josef Cacan—sounds that filled the room and gave expression to the grief in a way that words cannot.
Assyria TV was there to document the entire event live, and you can also watch it later at the following link
Malfono Hanna Gergeo is gone. But what he left behind—in the magazine, in the organization, and in the hearts of those who knew him—is still here.
