IDC Summit October 24-26: American Leadership and Securing the Future of Christians in the Middle East
Take Action along with advocates from across the country to protect and preserve Christians and religious minorities in the Middle East.
Highlights
Press Conference at the National Press Club
Ecumenical Prayer Service: Bridging East and West
Policy and Awareness Symposium
Experts and Leaders from Around the World
Grassroots Mobilization
Meet with dozens of Members of Congress and Administration officials
*Free student registration. See below!
Fourth Annual
IDC Solidarity Dinner for Christians
in the Middle East
October 25, 2017
Register Here
Summit Location
JW Marriott
1331 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004-1796
Credentials Pick Up Begins Tuesday October 24, 2017 at 1:00 pm
Special Guests
Special Performance by
IDC 2017 Summit Policy Agenda
Click each title to expand
IDC supports the passing of H. Res.252 to promote the security, stability, and independence of Lebanon.
- The Resolution encourages coordination between the Department of State, the UN, and humanitarian organizations to establish a safe zone in Syria for Syrian refugees displaced by war as the first step toward return and re-settlement.
- The Resolution also focuses on the importance of the Lebanese Armed Forces being able to provide stability and security for the people of Lebanon, as well as calling for the implementation of UN Resolution 1701, which calls for the disarmament of all non-governmental forces in Lebanon.
The Iraq and Syria Genocide Emergency Relief and Accountability Act is a bill which would provide immediate relief to minority religious groups in Iraq and Syria, particularly Christians and Yazidis.
- These communities would receive special humanitarian status and refugee resettlement priority in the US.
- IDC is working with partners to urge the Senate to introduce and pass this resolution as quickly possible.
IDC supports the introduction of a resolution on the Accountability of American Allies in the Middle East. This resolution would ensure that American allies, especially those receiving foreign aid and with whom the U.S. partners on vital national security matters, do not countenance material support for violent extremism, which has brought genocide on Christians and other communities.
- The American people expect their allies will take steps to protect places of worship from reasonably foreseeable acts of terror.
- The American people expect their allies will not tolerate support for U.S. government-designated terrorist organizations and will hold those who support such organizations to account.
- The American people expect their allies to respect the fundamental human rights of all people, including non-citizen workers who are Christian.
IDC supports a full acknowledgment by the Government of the Republic of Turkey of the Armenian Genocide as a first step in improving Turkish-Armenian relations, as stated in Senate Resolution 136.
IDC urges the U.S. government to identify and punish the Accessories of Genocide of the ISIS genocide.
- IDC urges the Trump Administration to create a task force to identify all persons and organizations that provided material support to ISIS and al-Qaeda, all who aided and abetted ISIS, to be brought to justice. The taskforce would also work to identify and account for aiders, abettors and accessories of terrorism.
Past Speakers
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Summit Schedule
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
10:00am | Registration Open at the JW Marriott |
2:00pm | Opening Press Conference at the National Press Club |
Introduction | |
Ninar Keyrouz Director of Media and Communications of In Defense of Christians |
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Christians in the Mirror Trailer, a Film by Jordan Allott | |
Moderator and Opening Remarks | |
Andrew Doran Vice President and Senior Policy Adviser of In Defense of Christians |
|
Remarks by Patriarch Rai and Patriarch John X Yazigi | |
Speakers | |
Mark Tooley President of The Institute on Religion and Democracy |
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Aram Hamparian Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America |
|
Robert Nicholson Executive Director of The Philos Project |
|
6:30 to 8:30pm |
Ecumenical Prayer Service at Saint Matthew’s Cathedral Special Performance by Internationally Acclaimed Lebanese Singer Abeer Nehme |
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
8:15am | Breakfast and Keynote Remarks by Patriarchs |
9:15am | Lebanon and Syria: Security and Stability Post Conflict |
Moderator | |
Tonia Khouri Chairman of Economic Development for DuPage County |
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Speakers | |
Neemat Frem President of The Maronite Foundation in the World |
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Alberto Fernandez President of The Middle East Broadcasting Networks |
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Alexis Moukarzel On the Board of Advisors for In Defense of Christians |
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Charles Hage Vice President of The Maronite Foundation in the World |
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10:30am | Pre-Panel Remarks by Knox Thames, Special Advisor for Religious Minorities in the Near East and South/Central Asia at the U.S. Department of State |
10:35am |
Pre-Panel Remarks Tristan Azbej Deputy State Secretary, Government of Hungary |
10:40am | How to Advance U.S. Interests by Protecting Religious Minorities in the Middle East |
Moderator | |
Mark Tooley President of The Institute on Religion and Democracy |
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Speakers | |
Loay Mikhael Head of Foreign Relations Committee of the Chaldean Syriac Assyrian Popular Council |
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Stephen Hollingshead Managing Director of the Safe Haven Project |
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Robert Nicholson Executive Director of The Philos Project |
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Andrew Walther Vice President of Communications and Strategic Planning of the Knights of Columbus |
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Nermien Riad Executive Director of Coptic Orphans |
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12:15pm | Special remarks by Robert Destro, Catholic University Law Professor |
12:20 | Lunch and Panel: Who Are America’s Allies and Enemies in the Middle East? A Hard Look at Turkey, Iran and the Gulf States |
Moderator | |
Andrew Doran Vice President and Senior Policy Adviser of In Defense of Christians |
|
Speakers | |
Aram Hamparian Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America |
|
Kent Hill Executive Director of the Religious Freedom Institute |
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Brian Katulis Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress |
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4:00pm | For Security reasons, please arrive by 4:00 PM for the Solidarity Dinner. |
6:15pm | *Solidarity Dinner* |
6:30pm | Keynote Address Speaker: Vice President Mike Pence |
Cedars of God Award Recipient Congressman Chris Smith | |
Remarks by Congressman Darin Lahood |
Thursday, October 26, 2017
8:30am | Breakfast and Registration at 2200 Rayburn House Office Building |
9:15am | Panel: Policy Briefing and Advocacy Prep at 2200 Rayburn House Office Building |
10:00am | House Canvassing in the House Office Buildings |
11:30am | Lunch: Remarks by Members |
1:30pm | Senate Canvassing in the Senate Office Building |
3:30pm | Reception at the Capitol Visitor Center Atrium |
7:00pm | Divine Liturgy offered by His Beatitude Patriarch Rai at Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Church in Washington D.C. |