Programming at IRF Summit 2025
Priorities for the Next Administration
Tuesday, February 4, 2025 | 9:45 AM Plenary Session
This session explores strategies to promote religious freedom globally under the incoming U.S. administration which is committed to these ideals. The discussion will address policy priorities, partnerships, and innovative approaches to protect diverse faith practices, combat persecution, and integrate religious freedom into diplomacy, human rights initiatives, and international development efforts.
Moderator
Brett Scharffs
Director, International Center for Law and Religion Studies
Panelists
David Beasley
Executive Director, World Food Programme (2017-2023)
Scott Flipse
Director of Policy & Media Relations, Congressional-Executive Commission on China
Annie Boyajian
Co-President, Freedom House
Mass Migration and Religious Pluralism
Tuesday, February 4, 2025 | 1:30 PM Plenary Session
This panel will focus on how religious pluralism can help bring stability and peace amid historic levels of displacement and mass migration due to instability and conflict. The conversation will delve into the tension between the religious freedom movement’s desire for diverse religious communities to live in harmony and the cultural disruption that can happen when bringing these communities into close contact. The objective will be to have a candid discussion about how this reality represents a challenge to the idea of pluralism and how pluralism can help be a solution to the clash of civilizations.
Moderator
Samuel Goldman
Director, Loeb Institute for Religious Freedom and Democracy
Panelists
Archbishop Angaelos
Archbishop, Coptic Orthodox Church
Lucky Karim
Refugee Fellow, Refugees International
Hamza Yusuf
President, Zatuna College
Emile Ackermann
Founding Rabbi, Ayeka
Mass Migration and Religious Pluralism
Tuesday, February 4, 2025 | 1:30 PM Plenary Session
This panel will focus on how religious pluralism can help bring stability and peace amid historic levels of displacement and mass migration due to instability and conflict. The conversation will delve into the tension between the religious freedom movement’s desire for diverse religious communities to live in harmony and the cultural disruption that can happen when bringing these communities into close contact. The objective will be to have a candid discussion about how this reality represents a challenge to the idea of pluralism and how pluralism can help be a solution to the clash of civilizations.
Moderator
Samuel Goldman
Director, Loeb Institute for Religious Freedom and Democracy
Panelists
Archbishop Angaelos
Archbishop, Coptic Orthodox Church
Lucky Karim
Refugee Fellow, Refugees International
Hamza Yusuf
President, Zatuna College
Emile Ackermann
Founding Rabbi, Ayeka
Town Hall: Cross Section of the Religious Freedom Movement
Tuesday, February 4, 2025 | 1:30 PM Plenary Session
This focus group discussion will bring together a range of individuals representing various sectors working in the IRF space and provide them with an opportunity to share their insights on how the religious freedom movement can better coordinate across disciplines such as media, development, advocacy, and the government. The objective of this conversation is to have an enlightening exchange of ideas that sparks creative thinking within the movement about how best to advance freedom of religion or belief globally.
Moderator
Lauren Green
Chief Religion Correspondent, Fox News
Panelists
Nadine Maenza
President, IRF Secretariat
Myal Greene
CEO, World Relief
Amjad Khan
National Director of Public Affairs, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA
Anna Bryner
Associate Attorney, Crook Legal Group
Sponsored Dinner
Tuesday, February 4, 2025 | 6:00 PM Plenary Session
Scholars, religious leaders, and religious freedom experts at the United Nations and elsewhere are sharing their concern that Japan, an economic powerhouse and a leading liberal democracy, is failing to uphold its obligations under the UDHR, the ICCPR, and even its own constitution.
Panelists
Pastor Paula White
Special Advisor to President Trump
Dr. Marco Resprinti
Director in Charge – Bitter Winter
Attorney Patricia Duval
Human Rights Atty
Attorney Tatsu Nakayama
Nakayama Partners Japan
Attorney Norishige Kondo
FFWPU Atty
Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett
IRF Summit Co-Chair
Amb. Sam Brownback
IRF Summit Co-Chair
Tomihiro Tanaka, President
Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, Japan
Dr. Michael Jenkins
President Universal Peace Federation, The Washington TImes Foundation
Mr. Tom McDevitt
Chairman – The Washington Times
Countering the Dictators’ Playbook
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 | 9:30 AM Plenary Session
This panel will focus on the tools that authoritarian regimes are using to limit religious freedom, such as censorship, transnational repression, and the weaponization of religion itself. Included in this panel are a number of the leading advocates against authoritarianism who will share their experiences and provide insight into how the international religious freedom movement should respond to the modern face of religious persecution.
Moderator
Will Dobson
Coeditor, Journal of Democracy
Panelists
Adrian Zenz
Director in China Studies, Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation
Felix Maradiaga
Trustee, Freedom House
Oleksandra Matviichuk
Nobel Laureate
Chairwoman, Center for Civil Liberties
Building on the Successes of the Global IRF Movement
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 | 9:30 AM Plenary Session
This panel will focus on leveraging the influence of national and international institutions and highlight how these structures have led to wins in the effort to advance freedom of religion or belief around the world. The objective of this panel is to model for attendees how they should think about engaging with the international mechanisms available to the religious freedom community.
Moderator
Viktor Hamm
Vice President, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
Panelists
Lizzie Francis Brink
Legal Counsel, Global Religious Freedom, ADF International
David Smith
UK Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief
Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora
Minister for Minority Affairs, Government of the Punjab
Tristan Azbej
State Secretary for the Aid of Persecuted Christians, Hungary
The Empower track will facilitate a number of specialized training workshops designed to build the capacity of participating attendees and organizations. The intention of this track is to help the IRF community operate more effectively and build resilience in their organizations and the communities that they represent.
Monroe Room | Concourse Level
Training: Building Interfaith Alliances
Tuesday, February 4, 2025 | 11:00 PM – 12:00 PM
This workshop will help to equip participants with the tools and skills necessary to conceptualize and conduct robust interfaith dialogues, with the goal of empowering groups to facilitate dialogues that produce real action, rather than just conversation. If appropriate, this workshop may also touch on the topic of coalition-building, including across sectors.
Speakers
Aharon Lavi, Ohr Torah Interfaith Center
Imam Rashad Abdul-Rahman, International Coalition for Peace and Reconciliation
Rabbi Dr. Yakov Nagen, Blickle Institute for Interfaith Dialogue
Fr. Augostine Edan Ekeno, United States Institute of Peace
Training: Engaging with International Institutions
Tuesday, February 4, 2025 | 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
This workshop will equip participants to engage international institutions with evidence of human rights violations and provide an introduction to the documentation process, including the ICC, International Protocol, and Murad code. Participants will also learn to engage with the documented evidence and navigate various UN procedures and mechanisms.
Speakers
Ewelina Ochab, International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute
Knox Thames, Pepperdine University
Stephen Dreyer, Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs
Ryan V. Renuart, Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell
Samantha Kuo, Bureau of Consular Affairs,
Professor Mark Hill KC, University of Notre Dame, London
Training: Evidence-based Documentation, Reporting, and Storytelling
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 | 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
The purpose of this workshop is to educate participants on how to harness the power of evidence-based storytelling in their advocacy, media, and reporting efforts, including the basics of open source (OSINT) research skills, familiarization with the OSINT presentation style, and the examples of application to the IRF community.
Speakers
Mollie Zapata, Center for Advanced Defense Studies
Mishel Kondi, Center for Advanced Defense Studies
Training: Leveraging Sanctions and Other Tools for Accountability
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 | 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
This workshop for civil society advocates will provide an overview of Global Magnitsky sanctions and visa restriction tools available to pursue accountability for human rights abuses, and approaches to advocate for U.S. government action to support the release of prisoners of conscience and those arbitrarily detained.
Speakers
Amanda Strayer, Human Rights First
Candace Bryan Abbey, Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice
The Legislate track will address critical laws and legal actions around the world. Whether a positive law that should be encouraged by the IRF community or a harmful one that should be rejected, increased awareness of these laws and collective action around them are key to actualizing the goals of the IRF movement.
Lincoln Room | Concourse Level
Protecting Religious Freedom in Iraq
Tuesday, February 4, 2025 | 11:00 PM – 12:00 PM
Panelists will discuss developing and advancing the Protecting Freedom of Religion and Prevention of Discrimination Law in Iraq and how it can bolster religious freedom for Iraq’s diverse religious communities. The session will consider how social, political, legal and religious challenges shape the need for this important legislation.
Moderator
Jeremy Barker, Religious Freedom Institute
Speakers
Yohanna Towaya, Iraq Religious Freedom and Anti-Discrimination Roundtable
Yaqoob Yaqo, Assyrian Democratic Movement
Amir Mawloud, KRG Ministry of Endowment and Religious Affairs
Ghanm Saleem, Iraq Religious Freedom and Anti-Discrimination Roundtable
Dr. Tahira Sadiq, Iraq Religious Freedom and Anti-Discrimination Roundtable
Rallying Behind the CPC Designation: Enhancing Collaboration for Greater Impact
Tuesday, February 4, 2025 | 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM
How can the Department of State, USCIRF, Congress, NGOs, and others work more closely together on Country of Particular Concern designations? How does the State Department make its decisions, and what factors are considered? How can we improve the process? Do the CPC and SWL make a difference?
Moderator
Nadine Maenza, IRF Secretariat
Speakers
Patrick Harvey, Office of International Religious Freedom
Steve Schneck, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
Jeff King, International Christian Concern
Piero A. Tozzi, Congressional-Executive Commission on China
Policing Religion in the Secularized West
Tuesday, February 4, 2025 | 4:15 PM – 5:00 PM
Europe and North America have undergone a striking process of secularization in recent decades, especially within elite institutions that influence public opinion, values, and worldviews. This development and a growing intolerance toward religious teachings has manifested in laws that restrict freedom of religion.
Moderator
Sean Nelson, ADF International
Speakers
Dr. Janet E. Buckingham, World Evangelical Alliance
Todd Huizinga, Religious Freedom Institute
Rabbi Émile Ackermann, Ayeka
Faith, Rights, and Resilience: Navigating Religious Liberty in Latin America
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 | 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
This session will focus on the laws that hinder religious freedom in Nicaragua, Cuba, Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, and other LAC countries. How do these laws intersect with other freedoms of expression, movement, and association?
Moderator
Kristina Arriaga, Intrinsic Communications
Speakers
Fr. Omar Sotelo, Catholic Multimedia Center
Felix Maradiaga, Fundación para la Libertad de Nicaragua
Marcela Szymanski, Aid to the Church in Need International
Vanishing Freedoms in Vietnam
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 | 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
The Vietnamese government has long hindered religious freedom, using religion to control, torture, and punish communities including the indigenous Montagnards. This session will cover religious persecution in Vietnam and laws in the U.S. Congress to support human rights in Vietnam.
Moderator
Sara Colm, Campaign to Abolish Torture in Vietnam
Speakers
Derek Tran, U.S. House of Representatives
Pastor Nglol Rahlan, Dao Blung Hlao and First Christian Church
Moni Mau, Khmers Kampuchea Krom Federation
Jean Wu, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
Hon. Grover Joseph Rees III, Former United States Ambassador to East Timor
The Advocate track focuses on strategies to advance and protect the movement for international religious freedom. A crucial element of this strategy includes advocating for those working in hostile environments or facing the threat of transnational repression. This track will consider other key areas for advocacy as well, including for prisoners of conscience.
Jefferson Room | Concourse Level
Crimes Against Humanity: Upholding Sacred Rights through Legal Tools for Justice and Accountability
Tuesday, February 4, 2025 | 11:00 PM – 12:00 PM
This panel will explore the critical intersection of religious persecution and crimes against humanity. Eminent legal experts, human rights advocates, and religious leaders will discuss legal frameworks, challenges, and opportunities to ensure justice and accountability for those who perpetrate violence and discrimination based on religious beliefs.
Moderator
Tschika McBean Okosi, Baha’is of the United States
Speakers
Kristin Smith, American Bar Association
Sarah Yager, Human Rights Watch
Wai Wai Nu, Women’s Peace Network
Virginia Farris, Chin Association of Maryland
Closing Commentary
Viktor Yelenskyi-Head of the State Service of Ukraine for Ethnic Affairs and Freedom of Conscience to the Council of Ministers
Testimonial
Evaz Fanaian- Uncle of Ardeshir Fanaian
The Long Shadow of Transnational Repression: A Global Threat to Human Rights Defenders
Tuesday, February 4, 2025 | 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM
This panel will examine the growing phenomenon of transnational repression, where states and non-state actors target human rights defenders beyond their borders. We will discuss the diverse tactics employed, including surveillance, harassment, abduction, and even extrajudicial killings.
Moderator: Grady Vaughan, Freedom House
Speakers
Pawanjit Singh, Sikkh Assembly of America
Ajit Sahi, Indian American Muslim Council
Imam Dr. Talib M. Shareef, Masjid Muhammad
Abdullah Alaoudh, Middle East Democracy Center
Levi Browde, Falun Dafa Information Center
Alberto Fernandez, Middle East Media Research Institute
Testimonial
Frances Hui, Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation
Voices Behind Bars: Solutions-Based Advocacy for Prisoners of Conscience
Tuesday, February 4, 2025 | 4:15 PM – 5:00 PM
This panel will bring together human rights defenders, legal experts, and former prisoners of conscience to explore innovative strategies for raising awareness, mobilizing international pressure, and securing the release of prisoners of conscience. The panel will also address the critical importance of supporting and rehabilitating individuals upon their release.
Moderator
Kristina Arriaga, Intrinsic Communications
Speakers
Kurt Werthmuller, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
Sharmagh Mardi, Center for Truth and Justice
Y Phic Hdok, Montagnards Stand for Justice
Rushan Abbas, Campaign for Uyghurs
Rachel Miner, Bellwether International
Andrea Barron, Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition International
Closing Commentary
Kola Alapinni, Foundation for Religious Freedom
A Bridge to Stability: Building Structural Capacity in Crisis-Affected Countries
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 | 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
This panel will examine how to build long-term stability in crisis-affected countries by focusing on strengthening local institutions and empowering communities. We will discuss innovative approaches to enhancing governance, promoting economic development, and fostering social cohesion. Importantly, we will discuss how building strong institutions and empowering communities can foster religious freedom and interfaith harmony in crisis-affected countries.
Moderator
Rebecca A. Shoot, Citizens for Global Solutions
Speakers
Keyvan Ghaderi, The Baha’i Faith
Zaid Hazm Yousif, Assyrian Aid Society
Ashuriena Abraham, First Freedom Foundation
Farishta Sakhi, Freedom House
Arbana Xharra, Alon Ben Meir Institute
Mashal Naseem, FoRB Advocate
Closing Commentary
Zin Mar Aung, National Unity Government (Myanmar)
Forging the Next Generation of FoRB Champions: Key Strategies to Advance and Protect the FoRB Movement
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 | 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
This panel will explore innovative strategies to empower and equip the next generation of leaders in the fight for freedom of religion or belief (FoRB). We will discuss mentorship programs, capacity-building initiatives, and digital advocacy tools that can strengthen the FoRB movement and ensure its long-term sustainability.
Moderator
Knox Thames, Pepperdine University
Speakers
Hai-Di Nguyen, BPSOS
Nicolas Esteban Panotto, Otros Cruces
Sonya Nersessian, Armenian Bar Association
Vishni Vincent, Sri Lanka Unites
Amador Sepulveda Garcia, The National Office of Religous Affairs, Chile
Cole Durham, G20 Interfaith Forum
Closing Commentary
Ambassador Robert Rehak, Czech Republic, the Article 18 Alliance
The Activate track seeks to help participants learn from best practices discovered over years of work in the IRF space. This track will consider topics such as leveraging tools like targeted sanctions, navigating the asylum process, and understanding the role of businesses in promoting religious freedom within their supply chains.
Georgetown Room | Concourse Level
Media’s Role in Addressing Religious Persecution: Strategies for Engagement and Impact
Tuesday, February 4, 2025 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Despite the global significance of religious persecution, media coverage of specific challenges facing targeted communities is often lacking. This session will equip attendees with successful case studies and practical skills to bridge the gap between religious persecution issues and media coverage. By understanding how to navigate the media landscape, participants can more effectively communicate these critical human rights concerns, fostering greater public understanding and political engagement to combat religious persecution.
Moderator: Noor Hamadeh, International Corporate Accountability Roundtable
Speakers
Nuri Kino, A Demand for Action
Shannon Van Sant, Committee for Freedom In Hong Kong
Pieter Friedrich, Journalist
Nyrola Elima, Journalist
Corporate Responsibility in the IRF Space: Challenges and Opportunities
Tuesday, February 4, 2025 | 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM
This panel seeks to explore the role that businesses can and do play in contributing to the international religious freedom movement, as well as best practices for advocates interacting with corporations.
Speakers
Rev. Greg McBrayer, American Airlines
Simon Billenness, No Business with Genocide
Brian Grim, The Religious Freedom & Business Foundation
The Global Church in the Face of Political Repression
Tuesday, February 4, 2025 | 4:15 PM – 5:00 PM
This panel will investigate best practices in supporting persecuted faith communities around the world experiencing political repression and how to step in after it ends. It will seek to answer the needs of churches and congregations under the thumbs of oppressive governments.
Advancing Refugee Solutions Rooted in Dignity and Freedom
Wednesday 5, 2025 | 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
This panel will bring together practitioners on advocacy for refugees of religious persecution to discuss best practices and look ahead to what is needed in the U.S. context and beyond to continue to ensure safe haven for the most vulnerable.
Moderator
Jullie Millsap, American Muslim & Multifaith Women’s Empowerment Council
Speakers
Nyrola Elima, Journalist
Chelsea Sobolik, World Relief
Jenny Yang, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Sarah Teich, Human Rights Action Group
Lucky Karim, Women’s Rights Network
Policy in Action: Government Strategies for Defending Religious Freedom
Wednesday 5, 2025 | 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
This panel will bring together government representatives from Latin and South America to discuss how governments, multilateral organizations, and civil societies can work together to promote freedom of religion or belief and peace. They will discuss some of the obstacles and misunderstandings about these types of cooperation and how they can be overcome, as well as some examples of successes.
Moderator
Cynthia Juárez Lange, Interreligious Forum of the Americas
Speakers
Brett Scharffs, International Center for Law and Religion Studies
Omar Cortés, National Office of Religious Affairs, Republic of Chile
Ana Villalobos, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Chile
Maricarmen Plata, Organization of American States
Rainn Wilson
Actor and Advocate
Paula White
Special Advisor to President Donald Trump; President Paula White Ministries
Nikol Pashinyan
Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia
Elder Ahmad Corbitt
General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Britt Hancock
Founder of Moutain Gateway Ministry
His Holiness Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II
Apostolic See of Antioch and All the East
Nguyen Bac Truyen
Leader of Vietnamese Political & Religious Prisoners Friendship Association
His Eminence Shaykh Abdallah bin Bayyah
| Monday 2/3 | Congressional Advocacy Day | |||
| Monday 8:30am | Kick-Off Breakfast, Congressional Auditorium & Atrium (CVC 200) Capitol Visitor Center RSVP HERE | |||
| Monday 10:00am – 3pm | IRF Congressional Advocacy Participants meet in person in the Cannon House Office Building at 12PM | |||
| Monday 10:00am | IRF Roundtable, Cannon House Office Building, Capitol Hill | |||
| Martyrs of Communism Lunch (Invite Only) | ||||
| Monday 4:00pm | Solidarity Event, Rayburn Gold Room 2168 Capitol Hill RSVP HERE | |||
| Monday 5:00pm | Early Registration opens | |||
| Monday 6:00pm | Opening Reception (Invite Only) | |||
| Tuesday 2/4 | Summit Begins | |||
| Tuesday 8:00am | Registration opens (all day) | |||
| Exhibit hall opens (all day) | ||||
| Tuesday 8:30am | Coffee with the USCIRF Commissioners | |||
| Tuesday 9:45am | Plenary Session 1: Looking Ahead – Priorities for the Next Administration | |||
| Tuesday 11:00am | Breakout Session 1 | |||
| Tuesday 12:15pm | Tuesday Sponsored Lunch (Sponsored by Alliance of Virtue) | |||
| Tuesday 1:30pm | Plenary Session 2: What We’re Facing – Mass Migration and Religious Pluralism – Cross Section of the Religious Freedom Movement | |||
| Tuesday 3:30pm | Breakout Session 2 | |||
| Tuesday 5:00pm | Ukraine Briefing and Reception | |||
| Tuesday 5:15am | Movie Showing | |||
| Tuesday 6:00pm | Tuesday Sponsored Dinner (Sponsored by Washington Times Foundation & Universal Peace Federation) | |||
| Tuesday 7:30pm | After-hours Reception | |||
| Wednesday 2/5 8:00am | Wednesday Sponsored Breakfast (Sponsored by Religious Freedom Institute and Pepperdine University) | |||
| Exhibit hall opens (8am-12pm) | ||||
| Wednesday 9:30am | Plenary Session 3: How We Win – Countering the Dictators’ Playbook – Building on the Successes of the Global IRF Movement | |||
| Wednesday 11:45am | Wednesday Sponsored Lunch (Sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) | |||
| Wednesday 1:00pm | Breakout Session 3 | |||
| Wednesday 5:00pm | Closing reception (Sponsored by House of Ruach) | |||
