Why should we not seize this opportunity? Why should we sleep? No—we are awake. And we call upon all Assyrian brothers and sisters to awaken, so that we may unite and grow strong together.
From time to time, I meet people who ask me what our club’s slogan, “More Than Just Soccer,” really means. That question always reminds me of how our people are still, in many ways, asleep—and how Naum Faiq’s nearly 100-year-old poem Awake, Son of Assyria remains strikingly relevant in its meaning, urgency, and truth. If we apply Faiq’s message to our soccer team, we could truly revive and strengthen Assyrian identity all over the world.
Naum Faiq was born in Diyarbakir in the Ottoman Empire—modern-day Turkey—in 1868 and passed away in New Jersey, USA, in 1930. He was an Assyrian poet, journalist, and teacher who will always be remembered as a pioneer of unity among his people. Through his work, he encouraged Assyrians to come together, grow stronger, and advocate for their human rights, keeping the dream of a homeland alive.
Faiq’s contributions to Assyrian literature and activism are honored every year on February 5 in Assyrian communities around the world. His love for his people is powerfully expressed in his short poem “Awake, Son of Assyria, Awake”—a poem that has adorned our match jerseys for the past two years.
The poem was written to inspire and mobilize Assyrians, urging them to rise up and take control of their destiny. It is a patriotic call to awaken and protect Assyrian heritage. Let us reflect on this poem, written more than a century ago, and compare its message to modern life in 2025 for Assyrians around the world.
The first line reads: “Awake, son of Assyria, awake and see the world how enlightened”
This is a call to stop sleeping through life—to stop being consumed by social media, superficial stress, and distractions. Live your life, yes—but also seek purpose and meaning. Faiq urges us to wake up and recognize how modern the world has become and how many more opportunities we have today compared to our ancestors.
“The chance is fleeing from us, and time is running out”
Every passing day is a day lost. Soon, there may be no time left to save our heritage. With every generation, we lose something precious—names, language, faith, history, culture. Who will remain to preserve these? Who will fight for the recognition of the atrocities and genocides committed against us?
“In vengeance you will take refuge, rise up and band together to strengthen”
We have been driven from our homelands and scattered across the world. Our only path forward is unity—finding strength in our collective struggle to preserve what remains of our identity. If we succeed, we may finally achieve international recognition of the Assyrian Genocide of 1915, which nearly annihilated us, and perhaps even gain recognition as the indigenous people of the Middle East.
The final lines of the poem serve as a warning: “And if one does not awake, we have lost our chance; without purpose, misfortune will befall our land”
If we remain passive and continue to sleep, we will lose our chance for redemption. We will lose ourselves. Misfortune, in this sense, means that everything that once made us great—our ancestors’ struggles, our martyrs’ sacrifices, our nation’s legacy—will fade into oblivion.
So what does this powerful message have to do with our soccer club? Should we not focus solely on sport, rather than politics or culture? I am asked these questions often—by Swedes and by fellow Assyrians alike. My answer is simple: every Assyrian, regardless of role or place in society, carries a responsibility to preserve and advocate for our identity.
Each of us is responsible for both our history and our future. History, in the sense that we must never forget what our ancestors died for, never forget their sacrifices, never forget their names. And the future, in the sense that we must give coming generations something to be proud of—something solid to stand on.
We must always remember the strength of our heritage. We founded one of the world’s first civilizations. We advanced science and law. We ruled empires. We were among the first followers of Christ. We survived genocide. We are the indigenous people of the Middle East. Why should we not proclaim this every day? Why should we ever forget?
As the chairman of a soccer club that proudly carries the Assyrian flag, my natural role has been to infuse this identity wherever possible - on our website, on social media, and most importantly, on the field. I strive to make it visible in every way I can. This responsibility belongs to every Assyrian; I am no exception.
That is why it feels natural to honor Naum Faiq’s message and manifest our language on our match jerseys—jerseys we have worn in more than 70 competitive matches during 2024 and 2025. It is natural to engage with the cultural sphere by having our A-team participate in a Gilgamesh play for children. And it is most natural of all to honor our genocide by wearing a black armband reading “110 Years – We Will Never Forget Your Sacrifice,” sending a clear message to the Swedish government to recognize the genocide.
So, is Assyriska FF more than just soccer? Of course it is. On football’s global stage, our people’s identity and struggle can finally be seen. Why should we not seize this opportunity? Why should we sleep? No—we are awake. And we call upon all Assyrian brothers and sisters to awaken, so that we may unite and grow strong together.
In soccer terms, this year is especially significant—it is a World Cup year, hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Many things divide us—denominations, geography, dialects, and church affiliations—but we can unite under our National Soccer Team of Assyria: Assyriska FF.
Let us awaken, mobilize, and honor Naum Faiq’s words. Let us unite under one flag—for a people without a state of our own, but with a national team. A team that can place all Assyrians in the global spotlight, using soccer—the world’s universal language—on the world’s biggest stage. Let us make 2026 a year of awakening and revival for Assyrian identity.
[Editor's note: this text first appeared in Swedish on assyriska.se]
