The genocide is addressed in Feniks – Geschiedenis 3, a secondary-school history textbook, where Assyrians and Greeks are identified among the victims of mass violence carried out in the Ottoman Empire during the First World War, according to Comité 1915, a Netherlands-based organization that has campaigned for recognition and education about the genocide.
The inclusion gives the history of the Assyrian genocide a place within mainstream secondary education, rather than limiting discussion of the subject to commemorations, community organizations and political debates.
“Education is essential to pass on the history of victims to future generations,” said Johan Kurt, chairman of Comité 1915. “That the genocide is now explicitly mentioned in a Dutch history textbook is therefore a significant and valuable step.”
The development follows decades of efforts by Assyrian organizations in the Netherlands to secure recognition of the genocide and raise awareness of Assyrian history.
According to Comité 1915, advocacy for recognition of the genocide dates back to the 1980s. These efforts became more organized following the establishment of Comité 1915 in 2014, with the organization focusing on recognition, commemoration, publications, exhibitions and political and social advocacy, including efforts to have Assyrian history taught in Dutch schools.
