FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Illinois State Board of Education Approves Assyrian Genocide Curriculum for Statewide Implementation
Chicago, Illinois — June 24, 2025 — The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has officially approved the inclusion of the Assyrian Genocide after meeting the State’s Social Science Standards, marking a significant step towards broader historical education in Illinois schools. The curriculum, developed by Seyfo Center, AZ Chapter, and first approved by the Arizona Department of Education on August 10, 2024, can now be utilized as a resource by high school educators across Illinois. Per Kirsten Parr, Director of Standards and Instructions at ISBE, resources addressing the Assyrian Genocide have been incorporated on pages 9–11 of the document, on the recently updated Holocaust and Genocide Education Resource Guide below:
https://www.isbe.net/Pages/ContinueEDResources.aspx
The decision comes after a robust advocacy campaign led by the Seyfo Center, Arizona Chapter, supported by educators and historians who have long sought to ensure that this often-overlooked atrocity is recognized and taught alongside the Holocaust and other genocides. The effort to gain approval for this curriculum in Illinois began concurrently with its development. In August 2023, Ms. Naema Abraham was first contacted. She promptly connected the Arizona Chapter with Ms. Ramina Samuel. At the same time, Ms. Atour Sargon was independently working to include the Assyrian Genocide alongside other minority genocide curricula. It was soon decided that joining forces would strengthen the effort. Each individual continued advocating for the inclusion of the curriculum in the ISBE approval process, now as part of a coordinated, collaborative push. Below are short biographies for each of our three key contacts in Illinois.
Naema Abraham
Naema Abraham is a former President and Vice President of the Niles Township High School District 219 Board of Education in Illinois, where she served two elected terms. A longtime community advocate, she helped lead the collaborative effort—alongside educators, administrators, and state officials—that resulted in the approval of the first state-accredited Assyrian Language and Heritage course in the nation. The course was adopted by the District 219 Board during her presidency, reflecting her commitment to inclusive education and cultural representation
Ramina Samuel
Ramina Samuel is a nationally certified counselor and a committed advocate for the Assyrian community. She immigrated from Iraq to the U.S. as a young teenager. A former student of Assyrian schools in Nuhadra, she is passionate about preserving the Assyrian language and culture. Ramina co-sponsors her school’s Assyrian Club and her district’s Assyrian parent group, Suraye. She is one of the co-founders of BET KANU Inc., a nonprofit organization focused on reviving the Assyrian language, where she serves as the Vice President and leads the language committee. Ramina and her Assyrian colleagues have also led efforts in the Niles Township schools for Assyrian Genocide recognition and helped establish the first accredited Assyrian language program in the U.S.
Atour Sargon
Atour Sargon, a first-generation Assyrian-American raised in Lincolnwood and Chicago, made history in 2019 as the first Assyrian-American woman elected to municipal office in Illinois and was re-elected Trustee of the Village of Lincolnwood in 2023. She holds degrees in Political Science and Public Policy from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Northwestern University and was selected as a 2019 delegate for the Illinois Women’s Institute for Leadership. Atour served as District Director for Cook County’s 13th District and has been a leading advocate for Assyrian representation, playing a key role in advancing initiatives such as the formation of the Illinois Assyrian Caucus and the addition of accredited Assyrian language courses to the Illinois State Board of Education Course Catalog.
The Assyrian Genocide, known as Seyfo, which occurred during and after World War I, led to the mass displacement and deaths of hundreds of thousands of Assyrians in the Ottoman Empire. Subsequent genocidal acts have since followed, such as the Semele Massacre of 1933 in Iraq and the ISIS invasion in 2014 in Iraq and Syria, resulting in the depletion of the Middle East of its indigenous people. The curriculum will provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the historical context, causes, and consequences of the genocide, as well as its lasting impact on the Assyrian community worldwide.
The curriculum, authored by Dr. Erin Hughes and Professor Hannibal Travis, includes various educational materials, including primary source documents, survivor testimonies, and multimedia resources, all designed to engage students and foster critical thinking. The writing process took nearly two years to complete, and the curriculum is available to educators and the general public alike. Teachers can opt to receive specialized training, offered by Seyfo Center, Arizona Chapter, to deliver the curriculum and facilitate discussions on sensitive topics effectively and to meet their Professional Development Requirements.
“I welcome Illinois’s historic decision to adopt the Assyrian Genocide curriculum in high schools. May this serve as a model for European nations to follow. A forgotten genocide is one doomed to be repeated,” said Sabro Bengaro, Founder and Director of Seyfo Center. The approval of the Assyrian Genocide curriculum aligns with Illinois’s broader commitment to inclusive education. The state, which is home to the largest and ever-growing Assyrian community in the US, has made significant strides in incorporating diverse perspectives into its academic standards.
About Seyfo Center
Seyfo Center, also known as the Assyrian Genocide Research Center, is dedicated to researching and raising awareness about the genocide of the Assyrian people. It also advocates for international recognition of the Genocide and works to ensure that the memory of the victims is preserved for future generations
For more information on how you can implement this curriculum in your respective states and countries, contact Seyfo Center, AZ Chapter at resolution@seyfocenteraz.com
Ramina Jajoo-Frindrich, MD, FACR, FACP
President, Seyfo Center, AZ Chapter
