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Christians in the Middle East: The Current Crisis & What Can Be Done

Name: Christians in the Middle East: The Current Crisis & What Can Be Done
Start: 2014-09-03T18:00:00-04:00
End: 2014-09-03T19:00:00-04:00

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

6:00 pm EDT - 7:00 pm EDT

Description

Egypt Christians Churches Today, the very existence of Christians in some parts of the Middle East is threatened. Join us for a discussion on the the persecution of Christians in the Middle East and learn what actions the west can take to defend this religious minority. Georgetown University Professor Tom Farr will examine U.S. policy with respect to religious freedom in general and Christian minorities in the Middle East in particular. Andrew Doran, Executive Director of In Defense of Christians, and filmmaker Jordan Allott will discuss their experiences on the ground in Syria and Iraq earlier this year. Allott will show video shorts, including footage from Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, that explain what In Defense of Christians will do to for the preservation of Christianity in the Middle East.

Thomas F. Farr

Director, Religious Freedom Project at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs (Georgetown University)

Thomas F. Farr is director of the Religious Freedom Project at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs and a visiting associate professor of religion and international affairs at Georgetown’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. A former American diplomat and leading authority on international religious freedom, Farr has published widely, including “Diplomacy in an Age of Faith” in Foreign Affairs(March/April 2008), and World of Faith and Freedom: Why International Religious Liberty is Vital to American National Security (Oxford University Press, 2008). Farr received his B.A. in history from Mercer University, and his Ph.D. in modern British and European history from the University of North Carolina.

Andrew Doran

Executive Director, In Defense of Christians

Mr. Doran served on the executive secretariat of the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO at the U.S. Department of State. He has worked as a business and management consultant for the U.S. Department of State. He writes variously about U.S. foreign policy, with a particular focus on the persecution of Christians in the Middle East, where he has traveled widely. He has met with Senators, Hill staffers, non-governmental organizations, human rights activists from across the North America, Europe, and the Middle East to advocate for the rights of religious minorities, especially the ancient Christian communities of Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria. He is an attorney and armed forces veteran, and lives in metropolitan Washington, D.C.

Jordan Allott

Senior Advisor, In Defense of Christians

Jordan Allott is senior advisor to In Defense of Christians (IDC) and the founder of In Altum Productions. Jordan is a documentary filmmaker and writer whose work focuses on human rights issues. In 2009-10, Jordan went into Cuba to film a documentary about Dr. Oscar Biscet, a Castro dissident and human rights advocate who was imprisoned by the Communist regime, for which he has been banned by the Cuban government. In 2013, Jordan went to Egypt to interview Coptic Christians and other Egyptians who opposed the oppressive rule of the Muslim Brotherhood, producing this documentary short upon his return. Earlier this year, despite significant ISIS activity in the region, Jordan crossed into Syrian under the cover of night to document the heroic struggle of Christians to survive. The story was captured in the print edition of National Review’sMay 19 edition. That same month, Jordan traveled to Nigeria, publishing an account in NRO entitled, “On Boko Haram’s Blood Trail.”

In Defense of Christians (IDC)

In Defense of Christians (IDC) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization whose mission is to heighten awareness among policymakers and the general public of the existence of ancient and often persecuted minority communities in the Middle East, particularly Christians. IDC will also conduct policy advocacy for vulnerable Christians and other religious minorities. Through greater awareness and advocacy, IDC hopes to influence the U.S. and foreign governments to adopt policies that will safeguard and empower minority religious communities in the Middle East, especially those vulnerable to violence, marginalization, and persecution.