The Voice of Atour at Radio 2000-98.5FM

The Assyrian radio program, “The Voice of Atour” (The Cradle of Civilisation radio magazine) is broadcast every Monday morning from 10 am – 12 pm. Attracting Assyrian speaking people originally from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Lebanon and Turkey.

The aim of the program is to enrich the life style of Assyrian Australians by providing them with information on;

- Settlement and citizenship
- Rights and responsibilities in Australia
- Current Affairs
- Providing links between Assyrian origins and Australia
- Culture and assimilating within Australia
- Family relations and parenting
- Health and welfare

And providing other entertaining segments such as quizzes, games and music.

The show’s presenter Agnes Polese/Atour Toma Khoshaba came to Australia in 1980 from Iraq. Agnes graduated from the now University of Western Sydney. She has also obtained a certificate in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and undertaken short courses and workshops regarding health and welfare of men, women, family and children as well as writing scripts, music editing and production. Agnes has been working in the Sydney Western area department of health for 25 years as a multicultural health worker, specialising with the Assyrian and Arabic community. Furthermore Agnes is a member of NEMBC (National Ethnic Multicultural Broadcasting Council) and a NEMBC women’s committee for 2 years.
Agnes’ radio and television experience extends to 20 years within the industry including managing, editing, video and music production in Assyrian and Arabic. The Voice of Atour has been running for six years and aims to continue for another six more.

Broadcasting time
Monday / 10.00 apm – 12.00 pm

Contact Agnes via:

Mobile: +61 0418 278 580

e-mai: polese@iprimus.com.au

Brief Assyrian History
The Assyrians are a Semitic people indigenous to Mesopotamia. They are Mediterranean Caucasoids and are ethnically distinct from Arabs and Jews. Assyrians have used two languages throughout their history Akkadian (Ancient Assyrian/Western Language) and the most predominantly spoken Neo-Syriac (Modern Assyrian/Eastern Language). Assyrians have predominantly practiced two religions throughout their history, firstly being Ashurism which was a polytheistic religion and Christianity. The first Assyrian Christian church, (The church of the East) was founded in 33 A.D. by Thomas, Bortholemew and Thaddeus. Other Assyrian Christian denominations include Syriac Catholic, Chaldean and Syriac Orthodox.
Assyrians spread the word of Christianity to the furthest regions with strenuous effort. The Assyrian church of the east reached Asia as Marco Polo found Assyrian priests in the Chinese royal court. So influential were these missionaries that when Ghengis Khan swept through Asia he brought with him half and army of soldiers that belonged to the Assyrian church of the east. Further more the first Mongolian system of writing used the Assyrian Alphabet.

The Assyrian empire was located in north Mesopotamia and spanned across four countries including the now Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran. The Assyrian empire collapsed in 612 B.C. after 750 years of control over Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The Assyrian people survived and remained mostly inconspicuous for the next 600 years.
The Assyrian people and their culture still thrive today with almost 3.5 million Assyrians still around. 30,000 Assyrians that call Australia Home.

(Sourced from Brief History of Assyrians by Peter BetBasoo)