Coptic Solidarity’s Annual Conference is next week and we have an excellent program lined up! Register today to attend.
The conference, Uprooted & Endangered: Defending the Religious Minorities in The Middle East will be hosted in Washington, DC, June 11-12, 2025.
This year we have joined with other indigenous and minority faith groups from the region to strengthen our message. Copts, Assyrians, Yezidis, Jews, and all other religious minorities deserve not only to exist in their homelands, but to be treated equally with dignity. Sadly, we see an exodus of these minority groups as they are not protected and often face violent discrimination and persecution.
Together, we will be creating awareness and urging specific policy changes to protect our peoples, historical sites, houses of worship, homes, businesses, language, and culture.
Book your hotel room now to receive our special discount at Hotel Belvoir for $154 a night +tax which includes breakfast.
CONFERENCE PROGRAMS
June 12 Policy Day – Cannon Caucus Room, US House of Representatives
9:30 AM – Welcome
Caroline Doss JD – President, Coptic Solidarity
Session: Indigenous Minorities of the Middle East
Moderator: Gary Lane -International News Director and Senior International Correspondent for CBN News
Speakers:
- Karmella Borashan – Director at Susek Evangelistic Association; Representative of Assyrian International Council
- Jamileh Naso – Co-founder & President, Canadian Yazidi Association
- Hilary Miller – Policy Analyst, US Commission on International Religious Freedom
Speaker: Former Congressman Frank R. Wolf
Speaker: US Representative French Hill (R-AR)
Session: Foreign Influence in US Policy
Speakers:
- Raed Jarrar – Advocacy Director, Democracy for the Arab World Now
- Dan Auble – Senior Researcher, OpenSecrets
- Aram Hamparian – Executive Director, Armenian National Committee of America
- Mark Basta – Research Associate, Coptic Solidarity
Speaker: US Representative Michael Lalwer (R-NY)
Lunch Provided
Speaker: Lindsay Rodriguez -Director of Development & Advocacy, Coptic Solidarity
Session: Crisis for Christians in Syria
Speakers:
- David Schenker – Taube Senior Fellow & Director, Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
- Bassam Ishak – Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) Representatives
- Ashuriena Abraham – MENA Co-Chair for the First Freedom Foundation Global Youth Summit; Representative of Assyrian International Council
- Ryan Mauro – Investigative Researcher, Capital Research Center
Interview with Sonja Dahlmans & Joseph Janssen
- Sonja Dahlmans – author of Coptic Solidarity’s report, Hidden Crimes Public Deception: The Epidemic of Abductions and Forced Disappearance of Coptic Women and Girls.
- Joseph Janssen– Advocacy Officer with Jubilee Campaign Netherlands
Speaker: Candace Lukasik, Ph.D. – Faculty Leave Fellow at the Crown Center for Middle East Studies at Brandeis University
Session: Regional Focus on North Africa
Speakers:
- Rachid Hammami – Author & Host of With Clarity Weekly TV Program
- Nasredeen Abdulbari – Senior Peace Fellow, PILPG; Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council; former Minister of Justice (Sudan), Washington Institute for a New Sudan
Speaker: Raymond Ibrahim – Author, Public Speaker, and Middle East & Islam specialist
4:30 END
