New Midyat Project Seeks to Draw Syriac-Arameans Back to Tur Abdin

Midyat, Tur Abdin — redevelopment initiative in Midyat aims to preserve the city’s traditional stone architecture while creating modern living conditions that organizers say could encourage Syriac-Arameans in the diaspora to return. Midyat’s mayor, Veysi Şahin, visited Sweden this week to meet Syriac-Aramean community leaders and organizations. During the visit, he briefed attendees on a newly planned development initiative for Midyat and convened a launch meeting for the New Midyat Project. According to the mayor’s office, the project will be implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change and TOKİ, with participation from Syriac-Aramean compatriots in Sweden. Further details are expected in upcoming announcements.

Mayor Veysi Şahin with Syriac Orthodox bishop Mor Benjamin Atas, via Veysi Şahin on Instagram. According to project materials, many Syriac citizens living abroad face practical obstacles to resettlement because family properties sit inside an urban protected zone. The heritage rules make restoration difficult and limit the creation of comfortable living spaces. The New Midyat Project says it will address those constraints while keeping the historic character intact.

Visualization of the New Midyat Project, via Veysi Şahin on Instagram. The plan presents Midyat as a multicultural city of languages and religions and frames preservation as central to its appeal. It pledges to protect historic stonework and the broader cultural fabric while applying contemporary urban planning, environmental awareness, and sustainability standards. Documents describe the target as an exemplary living environment. The project proposes housing and public spaces that are compatible with heritage protections but also suited to modern needs. Backers say the goal is to enable Syriac citizens returning from abroad to live a modern life that remains rooted in Midyat’s history. The initiative highlights culture, nature, and comfort as equal priorities. It sets out aesthetic, economic, social, and environmental benchmarks and positions Midyat as a livable model for future generations. For Syriacs, Midyat and the wider Tur Abdin region hold long standing religious and cultural significance. The project’s emphasis on both preservation and livability is presented as a way to sustain that heritage while making return migration more feasible. However, some concerns have been raised about the proposed location. Plans indicate construction on the opposite side of Midyat, at a distance from the old city that many regard as the heart of Syriac culture and belonging. Critics worry that developing a new area so far from the historic core could further disperse Syriacs and reduce everyday community cohesion.

Image: Veysi Şahin/Instagram — planned project area. No timeline or budget details were included in the materials provided, and questions about governance, funding, and eligibility criteria have not yet been addressed publicly. Further announcements are expected as planning progresses.