The ANCA, as a convention sponsor along with Philos Project and Institute on Religion and Democracy, will welcome legislators, faith leaders, and religious freedom advocates to Washington for a robust agenda of activities
Ishtartv.com- armenianweekly.com
October 5, 2017
Partners
with In Defense of Christians to Protect At-Risk Religious Minorities
WASHINGTON—The
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has partnered with In Defense of
Christians (IDC) as a sponsor of its national convention, a landmark Washington
D.C. summit, from Oct. 24 to 26, gathering faith leaders, including His
Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, Congressional
friends, and coalition partners, to protect and preserve Christianity and defend
religious liberty across the Middle East. Last year’s summit, also sponsored by
the ANCA, featured the participation of over 50 members of Congress.
The
ANCA, as a convention sponsor along with Philos Project and Institute on
Religion and Democracy, will welcome legislators, faith leaders, and religious
freedom advocates to Washington for a robust agenda of activities. Among these
are a press conference at the National Press Club, an Ecumenical Prayer Service
at the historic St. Matthew’s Cathedral, a series of policy-driven panel
discussions and hands-on advocacy workshops, and meetings with Members of
Congress.
“We are pleased to renew our partnership with
In Defense of Christians, a movement that effectively harnesses grassroots
power across America, fosters bipartisan consensus here in Washington, and—most
vitally—drives real-world, policy-based solutions to protect Christians and preserve
religious and ethnic diversity throughout the Middle East,” said ANCA Chairman
Raffi Hamparian.
“We
are particularly gratified to sponsor this year’s summit, knowing that
Congressman Chris Smith, a great champion of human rights and religious liberty,
will be honored with the prestigious Cedars of God award.” Since his
first election to the U.S. House in 1980, Congressman Chris Smith (R-N.J.) has
consistently earned “A” ratings from the ANCA.
The
convention’s advocacy agenda features strong support for a just resolution of
the Armenian Genocide, and will include lobbying visits in support of
H.Res.220, a bipartisan measure seeks to apply the lessons of the Armenian
Genocide in preventing new atrocities across the Middle East.
ANCA
representatives will be making presentations throughout the three day
conference, which will focus on the following advocacy priorities: (1) Security
and stability in Lebanon; (2) Emergency relief for Victims of genocide in Iraq
and Syria; (3) Allies and Accountability in the Middle East; (4) Recognition of
the Armenian Genocide; and (5) Legal punishment for ISIS, al-Qaeda, and other
perpetrators of genocide.
Among
the members of IDC’s Religious Advisory Board are two prominent Armenian faith
leaders, His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Eastern
Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, and Reverend Berdj
Djambazian, Minister to the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Union of North
America.
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