On Thursday, a monument was unveiled in Eskilstuna to commemorate the 1915 genocide, when Assyrians, Armenians, and Pontic Greeks were murdered or forced to flee their homes in Anatolia and the northern Middle East. The unveiling marks the fact that the genocide—known as Seyfo by the Assyrians—has now been given a permanent place in the public sphere.

Behind the monument lies a collaboration that has developed over several years. St. Mary’s Syrian Orthodox Church in Eskilstuna, the Syrian Association in Eskilstuna, and the Assyrian Association in Eskilstuna have led the effort together with the Christian Democrats in the municipality. Representatives from the Social Democrats, the Moderates, the Center Party, the Left Party, and the Liberals were also present at the dedication ceremony, as were members of the Armenian Association of Eskilstuna.

The monument is intended to serve as a gathering place—a place where future generations can pause and let history speak. For the Assyrian associations, it is not just a matter of honoring the victims, but of keeping their memory alive at a time when the persecution of Assyrians in the Middle East is still ongoing.