Albert Edward Ismail Yelda
Encyclopedia
Albert Edward Ismail Yelda (born 1959 Ramadi
, Iraq
) is currently Iraq
's ambassador to the Vatican
. Yelda, an ethnic Assyrian
, belongs to the Ancient Church of the East
. Prior to the United States
-led 2003 invasion of Iraq
, Yelda dedicated himself to the legal counsel and assistance projects for the Iraqi immigrants in London
, England
from 1987 until 2003, where he finally returned to Iraq.
During his time in London, Yelda co-founded the anti-Baath
organization the Iraqi Liberation Coalition with friend Ayad Allawi.
In early 2004, he was appointed as Iraq's 14th new ambassador to the Vatican. In November 2004, Yelda meet with the late Pope John Paul II
and talked about the situation of the Christian minority in Iraq.
Yelda has meet twice personally with Pope Benedict XVI
as of now. Once in a visit on May 12, 2005 in the Vatican and September 25, 2006 where he joined other diplomats from the Arab league
and other Muslim countries to find peace after the Pope's controversial comments
, which has led to further persecution of Iraq's Christian minority.
Ramadi
Ramadi is a city in central Iraq, about west of Baghdad. It is the capital of Al Anbar Governorate.-History:Ramadi is located in a fertile, irrigated, alluvial plain.The Ottoman Empire founded Ramadi in 1869...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
) is currently Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
's ambassador to the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
. Yelda, an ethnic Assyrian
Assyrian people
The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia...
, belongs to the Ancient Church of the East
Ancient Church of the East
The Ancient Church of the East was established in 1968. It follows the traditions of one of the oldest Christian churches, the Church of the East, whose origins trace back to the See of Seleucia-Ctesiphon in central Mesopotamia...
. Prior to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-led 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
, Yelda dedicated himself to the legal counsel and assistance projects for the Iraqi immigrants in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
from 1987 until 2003, where he finally returned to Iraq.
During his time in London, Yelda co-founded the anti-Baath
Baath Party
The Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party was a political party mixing Arab nationalist and Arab socialist interests, opposed to Western imperialism, and calling for the renaissance or resurrection and unification of the Arab world into a single state. Ba'ath is also spelled Ba'th or Baath and means...
organization the Iraqi Liberation Coalition with friend Ayad Allawi.
In early 2004, he was appointed as Iraq's 14th new ambassador to the Vatican. In November 2004, Yelda meet with the late Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
and talked about the situation of the Christian minority in Iraq.
Yelda has meet twice personally with Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
as of now. Once in a visit on May 12, 2005 in the Vatican and September 25, 2006 where he joined other diplomats from the Arab league
Arab League
The Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a...
and other Muslim countries to find peace after the Pope's controversial comments
Pope Benedict XVI Islam controversy
The Regensburg lecture was delivered on 12 September 2006 by Pope Benedict XVI at the University of Regensburg in Germany, where he had once served as a professor of theology. It was entitled "Glaube, Vernunft und Universität — Erinnerungen und Reflexionen"...
, which has led to further persecution of Iraq's Christian minority.