Conference Program

June 15 - Policy Day - U.S. Capitol Visitor Center Room 201

9:00 AM Welcome by Caroline Doss, President of Coptic Solidarity

Morning Session A: Egypt’s Denial of Copts’ Status and Rights as Indigenous Peoples Moderated by: Faith McDonnell – Director of Advocacy, Katartismos Global

• Dr. Gregory Stanton – Founder & President, Genocide Watch
• Adel Guindy – Founding President of Coptic Solidarity & Author of A Sword Over the Nile: A Brief History of the Copts Under Islamic Rule

US Representative French Hill (R-AR)

Frank Wolf - Commissioner, US Commission on International Religious Freedom

Mariah Mercer - Deputy Director, Office of International Religious Freedom, State Department

Morning Session B: Unequal by Law: How Religion Usurps Citizenship Rights in Egypt 
Moderated by: Raymond Ibrahim - Author, Public Speaker, and Middle East and Islam specialist

• Robert Destro, JD – Professor of Law at Columbus School of Law, The Catholic University of America
• Paul Marshal - Wilson Distinguished Professor of Religious Freedom at the Institute for Studies of Religion; Director of the Religious Freedom Institute’s South and Southeast Asia Action Team; Senior Fellow - Hudson Institute’s Center for Religious Freedom

Morning Session C: International Advocacy Partnerships 
Moderated by Trent Martin - Advocacy and Training Coordinator, 21Wilberforce
•    Ann Buwalda J.D. – President, Jubilee Campaign
•    Sean Nelson J.D. – Legal Counsel Alliance Defending Freedom Global 

Coptic Solidarity’s Atef Jacob Annual Award:  Presentation to Jubilee Campaign

Boxed Lunch  Provided

Afternoon Session A: Practical Solutions for Achieving Equal Citizenship Rights for Egypt’s Copts
Moderated by: Lindsay Rodriguez - Director of Development & Advocacy, Coptic Solidarity

• Nathan J. Brown, Ph.D. - Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, George Washington University and Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
• Caroline Doss – President, Coptic Solidarity
• Amy Hawthorne – Deputy Director of Research – POMED
• David Schenker – Director, Program on Arab Politics, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Afternoon Presentation: Coptic Solidarity’s Key Advocacy Initiatives and Campaigns

Afternoon Session B: The Ordeal of Christians in the Middle East & Africa
Moderated by Jeff King: President, International Christian Concern

• Unamed Sudanse Coptic Witness will share first- hand testimony about recent events and escape to the US
• Aimar Raheema Christians Without Home(Iraq)and Isis's Victim
• Simisola Okai – Activist, TV Producer & Author of I Want to Be a Mommy When I Grow Up: Lessons of Faith and Hope

 

Day 2 Program - June 16 
Courtyard by Marriott Pentagon South Hotel
4641 Kenmore Ave, Alexandria, VA 22304

Master of Ceremonies: Lindsay Rodriguez - Director of Development & Advocacy, Coptic Solidarity

9:00 AM Welcome by Coptic Solidarity

Morning Presentation A: Raymond Ibrahim on 10th anniversary of Church Burnings

Morning Presentation B: Coptic Filmmaker Raouf Zaki 

- Coffee Break -

Morning Presentation C:  Mariam Ibrahim on Current Situation in Sudan & Religious Freedom Under Islam - Co-Founder & Director of Global Mobilization, Tahrir Alnisa Foundation; Former Sudanese prisoner of conscience

Morning Presentation D: Mark Basta on Youth Perspective & Engagement

 - Catered Lunch at Hotel- 

Afternoon Session A: Controlling the Narrative in Egypt
Moderated by: Hayvi Bouzo, Broadcast Journalist, Host of The Yalla Show
•    Mohamed Gohar- Founder of 25TV who hid 17 Copts in his office building during the Maspero Massacre
•    Bashar Jarrar - Political Analyst, Commentator, & Media Consultant
•    Sherif Mansour - Middle East Program Coordinator, Committee to Protect Journalists

Afternoon Session B: Middle East Christians in Crisis
•   Habib Afram - President of the Syriac League
•    Ahed Al Hendi – Regional Director, Heracles Group