Key Bridge Marriott Hotel (1401 Lee Highway Arlington, VA 22209)
➢ 9:00 – Session-1- Voices of Middle East Christian Minorities – Chair: Magdi Khalil, Writer and analyst; Coptic Solidarity Board Member
– MECHRIC- Affiliated Organizations (*) from
- Syria
- Iraq
- Lebanon
– Dr. Essam Eskander, Philosophy professor and political writer
– Ms. Marina Shalabi, researcher at WINEP
➢ 10:30 Break
➢ 11:00 Panel- Strategies – Internal & International Roles – Chair Ann Buwalda, Exec Director Jubilee USA
– General (ret.) Robert Scales, military analyst, news commentator, and author; former commandant of the U.S. Army War College.
– Mr. David Schenker, Director, Arab Political Program, The Washington Institute for Near East Policies
– Dr. Graeme Bannerman, President, Bannerman & Associates, former Midlle East Policy Staff, Department of State
– Q&A
➢ 12:30 Lunch break
13:30 Keynote Speaker: Kathleen Troia (“KT”) McFarland, Fox News National Security Analyst, a former Pentagon Spokesperson (1981-84)
➢ 14:30 Session: The Role of NGOs – Chair Lindsay Vessey, Advocacy Director, CS
– Ms. Katherine Gorka, President, Council on Global Security
– Mr. Peter Bhatti, Chairman, Intl. Christian Voice (and brother of the slain Pakistani minister)
– Mr. Doug Bandow, Senior Fellow, Cato Institute
– Mr. Mark Ohanian, Director of Programs, IOCC
– Ms. Sarah Fitch-Roderick, Coalition for the Defense of Human Rights.
– Q&A
17:00 E N D
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(*) Participating members of MECHRIC:
– The World Maronite Union
– Syriac National Council of Syria
– European Syrian Union
– Melkite Catholics
– Assyrian American National Federation
– Iraqi Christians Advocacy and Empowerment Institute (ICAE)
