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Washington Summit to Call Attention to Plight of Christians in the Middle East

Historic Gathering Will Feature Patriarchs from Middle East, Lawmakers and International Human Rights Activists

Contact: Joseph Cella, In Defense of Christians, 703-286-9677

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6, 2014 /Christian Newswire/ -- The deteriorating situation facing millions of Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East will be the focus of a bipartisan and ecumenical conference in the nation's capital next month.  The three-day event sponsored by In Defense of Christians (IDC) will feature speakers from all over the globe.

The IDC Summit for Middle East Christians, whose theme is "Protecting and Preserving Christianity, Where It All Began," will be the first occasion in history where six Christian Patriarchs from the Middle East will gather together in the United States.

IDC President Toufic Baaklini said, "For too long, Westerners have stood by, silent or unaware, while Christians and other groups in the Middle East have endured discrimination, persecution, and religious cleansing. Today, as the Islamic State continues its genocidal campaign against Christians in Iraq and Syria, the globe is finally awakening to their plight. IDC exists to give voice to these voiceless people. In this hour of their greatest peril, they are in desperate need of support.  We must act now."

Baaklini stated: "To this end, IDC is hosting a historic global Summit for Middle East Christians, September 9-11, in Washington, D.C. This summit will empower the Middle Eastern Christian Diaspora and energize the American people to stand in solidarity the ancient Christian communities of the Middle East.  Their survival is vital to stability in the region, and their ability to flourish in their countries of origin has national security implications for the United States."

Summit attendees will have the opportunity to meet with Members of Congress and their staff, policy makers, diplomats, human rights activists, and religious leaders.  Speakers include: Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Rai; Syriac Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II; Archbishop of Washington Donald Cardinal Wuerl; Leonardo Cardinal Sandri of the Vatican’s Prefect of the Congregation for Oriental Churches; Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX); Senator Debbie Stabenow (R-MI); Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Congressman Ted Deutch (D-FL); Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL); Dr. James Zogby; and Nina Shea, Director of the Hudson Institute's Center for Religious Freedom. 

For a full roster of speakers, please click here.

To register, please click here.

In Defense of Christians (IDC) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization committed to the preservation and protection of Christians in the Middle East.

www.indefenseofchristians.org
www.idcsummit.org

2000 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 325, Washington, D.C. 20006

Inaugural Summit for Middle East Christians
September 9 - 11, 2014
Washington, D.C.

Presenter Schedule*
*Note: Effective 3:00 p.m. EDT, September 6, 2014

Day One – Tuesday, September 9, 2014*
Time 
Event        
Location  
(*Note: Please be available for media interviews throughout the day via cell phone, at the Omni Shoreham media room, or driven to in-studio interviews with outlets such as CBS, CNN, Fox News, LBC.)

12:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. 
Attendee Arrival and Registration    
Omni Shoreham. Hotel
Regency Ballroom

1:30 p.m. 
Arrive       
National Press Club        
529 14th Street, N.W.         
13th Floor – Holeman Lounge

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. 
*Summit for Middle East Christians Opening Press Conference
Description:  Diaspora and human rights leadership discuss the crisis of Christianity in the Middle East, religious freedom, and purpose of the Summit.
(*Note: Brief question and answer session with the media follows.)

    His Eminence, Leonardo Cardinal Sandri,
    Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches

    His Eminence, Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Cardinal Raï
    Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East
     
    His Beatitude, Ignatius Youssef III Younan
    Syriac Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All the East
     
    His Eminence Donald Cardinal Wuerl
    Archbishop of Washington

    His Grace Bishop Angaelos
    General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria

    His Excellency Ibrahim Ibrahim
    Bishop Emeritus of Chaldean Eparchy of Saint Thomas the Apostle

    Professor Robert George
    Princeton Unversity
    McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence
    Vice Chair, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
     
    Nina Shea
    Director, Center for Religious Freedom
    Hudson Institute

    Robert A. Destro
    Professor of Law
    The Catholic University of America
    Columbus School of Law

    Nermein Riad
    Executive Director, Coptic Orphans 

4:45 p.m.   
Arrive      
Omni Shoreham Hotel
Regency Ballroom

5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.  
Ecumenical Christian Prayer Service   
Omni Shoreham 
Regency Ballroom
Description:  Representatives of all denominations and Rites in attendance join in ecumenical Christian prayer service.   

    His Eminence, Leonardo Cardinal Sandri,
    Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches 

    His Eminence, Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Cardinal Raï
    Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East

    His Beatitude, Gregorius III Laham
    Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, Alexandria and Jerusalem

    His Beatitude, Ignatius Youssef III Younan
    Syriac Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All the East

    His Beatitude, Aram I Keshishian
    Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church  

    His Eminence the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joseph Zahlawi
    Archbishop of New York and All North America of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church

    His Eminence, Donald Cardinal Wuerl
    Archbishop of Washington

    His Grace Bishop Angaelos,
    General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria

    His Excellency Ibrahim, Ibrahim
    Bishop Emeritus of Chaldean Eparchy of Saint Thomas the Apostle

    *Note: Additional participants to be announced.

6:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.  
Introductory Remarks    
Omni Shoreham
Regency Ballroom

    Andrew Doran, Executive Director
    In Defense of Christians          

    Toufic Baaklini, President
    In Defense of Christians

    Opening Remarks        

    The Honorable John Ashcroft
    Former Attorney General of the United States

    His Eminence, Leonardo Cardinal Sandri
    Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches

7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.  
Reception     
Omni Shoreham
Ambassador Ballroom

Day Two – Wednesday, September 10, 2014
(*Note: Please be available for media interviews throughout the day via cell phone, at the Omni Shoreham media room, or driven to in-studio interviews with outlets such as CBS, CNN, Fox News, LBC.)

7:00 a.m.    
Arrival      
Omni Shoreham Hotel
Ambassador Ballroom

7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.  
Continental Breakfast    
Omni Shoreham
Ambassador Ballroom 
    
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.  
Keynote Address    
Omni Shoreham
Regency Ballroom

    Theme:  Call to Unity

    Welcome by His Eminence Donald Cardinal Wuerl
    Archbishop of Washington

    His Eminence, Leonardo Cardinal Sandri
    Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches

    His Beatitude, Aram I Keshishian
    Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church 

    His Beatitude, Gregorius III Laham
    Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, Alexandria and Jerusalem 

    His Grace Bishop Angaelos,
    General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria

9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.  
Transportation to Capitol Hill    

10:15 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.  
Hill Briefing (brief panel event)
Congressional Auditorium 
Description:  Following the theme of the Breakfast keynote, senior advocacy and human rights experts discuss the most effective means of advocacy on the Hill.  Educational materials are issued to Diaspora attendees.  Discuss includes team assignments and other information.
(*Note: Brief question and answer session with the media follows.)

    Nina Shea
    Director, Center for Religious Freedom
    Hudson Institute

    Robert A. Destro
    Professor of Law
    The Catholic University of America
    Columbus School of Law

    Special Remarks

    The Honorable François Puponi, MP
    8th District of Val-d-Oise
    National Assembly of France
               
    The Honorable Henri Jibrayel
    7th District of Bouches-du-Rhône
    National Assembly of France

11:00 a.m. -11:15 p.m.   
Statement on Behalf of All Patriarchs  
Congressional Auditorium

    His Eminence, Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Cardinal Raï
    Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East

11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.  
Remarks by Members of House and Senate 
Congressional Auditorium
Description:  House and Senate members address, and, time permitting, engage in Q&A and meet with Summit attendees.

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX)
Senator Debbie Stabenow (R-MI)
Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) 
Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK) 
Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) 
Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA)
Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) 
Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) 
Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) 
Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) 
Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) 
Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX) 
Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) 
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) 
Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) 
Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE) 
Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL)
 
12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.  
General Lunch     
Capitol Hill               
Congressional Meeting Room South 

12:30 - 1:30 p.m.  
VIP LUNCH     
Congressional Meeting Room North

1:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.   
Direct advocacy and education   
House and Senate
Description:  Attendees meet at pre-scheduled meetings with targeted key House and Senate members and their staffs to educate them on the crisis.  Diaspora meetings will be arranged in advance by IDC staff.  

4:00 p.m   
Return to Omni Shoreham.

7:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.   
Cocktail Reception     
Regency Ballroom

8:00 p.m.    
Arrive      
Regency Ballroom

8:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.   
Gala Solidarity Dinner    
Regency Ballroom

Theme:  Religious Freedom and Human Dignity 
    
National Anthem

8:05 p.m. - 8:10 p.m.   
Welcoming Remarks

    Toufic Baaklini, President
    In Defense of Christians

8:10 p.m. – 8:20 p.m.
Special Remarks           

    Dr. Imad S. Mufarrij, Event Chairman
    In Defense of Christians
    Inaugural Summit for Middle East Christians
        
    Keynote Address

    The Honorable Ted Cruz (R-TX)
    United States Senator  

    His Eminence, Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Cardinal Raï
    Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East

    His Eminence the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joseph Zahlawi
    Archbishop of New York and All North America of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church

    His Excellency Ibrahim, Ibrahim
    Bishop Emeritus of Chaldean Eparchy of Saint Thomas the Apostle

Day Three – Thursday, September 11, 2014
(*Note: Please be available for media interviews throughout the day via cell phone, at the Omni Shoreha.m. media room, or driven to in-studio interviews with outlets such as CBS, CNN, Fox News, LBC.)

7:15 a.m.   
Arrive

7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.  
Breakfast      
Regency Ballroom 

Keynote Address

    His Beatitude, Mor Ignatius Aphrem II
    Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch
     
    His Beatitude, Ignatius Youssef III Younan
    Syriac Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All the East

8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.  
First Panel       
Omni Shoreham             
Regency Ballroom

Theme: Christians in The Middle East Present and Future  

Moderator: Alexis Moukarzel

Opening Remarks

    His Eminence the Most Reverend Metropolitan Joseph Zahlawi
    Archbishop of New York and All North America of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church

    His Grace Bishop Angaelos,
    General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria

    His Excellency Ibrahim Ibrahim
    Bishop Emeritus of Chaldean Eparchy of Saint Thomas the Apostle

    Patriarchal Keynotes

    His Eminence, Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Cardinal Raï
    Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East
    Topic: "Consolidating Christian Presence and Role in the Middle East: Solutions and Perspectives"

    His Beatitude, Gregorius III Laham
    Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, Alexandria and Jerusalem 
    Topic: "Christians in the Middle East: Presence. Role. Vision"

    His Beatitude, Mor Ignatius Aphrem II
    Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch
    Topic: TBD

    His Beatitude, Ignatius Youssef III Younan
    Syriac Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All the East
    Topic: "Advocacy for Christian Survival in the Middle East"
     
    His Beatitude, Aram I Keshishian
    Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church       
    Topic: "The Future of Christianity in the Middle East: Vision and Plan of Action"

10:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.   
Break

10:45 a.m. - Noon   
Second Panel      
Omni Shoreham             
Regency Ballroom
(*Note: Brief question and answer session with the media follows.)

Theme:  Changing Policy Through Awareness and Advocacy

Moderator: Dr. Robert Danin

    Nermein Riad
    Executive Director, Coptic Orphans

    Nina Shea
    Director, Center for Religious Freedom
    Hudson Institute

    Tom Farr
    Director of the Religious Freedom Project
    Georgetown University's Berkeley Center for Religion, World Peace and World Affairs

    Reverend Nabil Haddad
    Founder and CEO of Jordanian Interfaith Coexistence Research Center

    Dr. James Zogby
    Arab American Institute 

    Sir Rateb Rabie
    Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation

Noon - 12:30 p.m.   
Break       
Omni Shoreham             
Regency Ballroom

12:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.  
Lunch       
Omni Shoreham             
Regency Ballroom 

Keynote Address

Theme: Unity with the Persecuted

    Eric Metaxas
    Author, Scholar, Speaker

1:45 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.  
Break

2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.   
First Afternoon Panel     
Omni Shoreham             
Regency Ballroom
(*Note: Brief question and answer session with the media follows.)

Theme:  Why Christianity Is Vital to The Middle East
  
Moderator: Judge Joseph Boohaker

    Bishop Julian Dobbs
    Barnabas Fund

    Michael LaCivita
    CNEWA

    Edward Clancy 
    Aid to the Church in Need

    Nabil Costa
    Supreme Council for Evangelicals in Syria and Lebanon

    Nehmet Frem
    Vice President, Maronite Foundation
    IDC Board Member

    Dr. Phillip Salem
    Director of the Cancer Research Program
    St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, Houston

4:00 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.  
Break

4:15 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.  
Second Afternoon Panel     
Omni Shoreham             
Regency Ballroom
(*Note: Brief question and answer session with the media follows.

Theme:  Using Social Media to Promote Human Rights in Iran and Other Countries

    Dr. Bronwen Robertson
    James Marchant
    Small Media

4:45 p.m. - 5:15 p.m.   
Concluding Remarks      
Omni Shoreham             
Regency Ballroom

    Toufic Baaklini, President
    In Defense of Christians

    Andrew Doran, Executive Director
    In Defense of Christians
    Description:  Thanks attendees and closes with a "call to action."

5:15 p.m.   
Summit Concludes