ANCA Partners With ‘In Defense Of Christians’ To Stop Genocide of Minorities In Middle East

September 15, 2015

ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian stressed the need for the U.S. and international communities to shift their response to genocide from politics to morality during the opening press conference for the IDC Convention.
ANCA Government Affairs Director Kate Nahapetian was among top advocacy professionals at the IDC conference offering insights on effective ways to relay the community concerns to elected officials on Capitol Hill.
Retired Congressman and renowned human rights advocate Frank Wolf (R-VA) headlined the press conference which also included remarks by Catholic University Law Professor Robert Destro, Genocide Watch President Dr. Gregory Stanton, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Member Katrina Lantos Swett, IDC Executive Director Kirsten Evans, and ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.
Archbishop Choloyan, who is also President of Christian and Arab Middle Eastern Churches Together (CAMECT), attended the September 9th press conference and explained the importance of Armenian participation in events like the IDC convention.
President and Founder of Genocide Watch, Dr. Greg Stanton, explained the imperative of properly characterizing the Middle East events.
IDC Executive Director Kirsten Evans outlined the importance of unity in sharing Christian and minority concerns with US leaders and the international community.
Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), who is of Armenian and Assyrian descent, has co-authored legislation classifying ISIS attacks against Christians and other minorities in the Middle East 'genocide.'
House Foreign Affairs Committee Senior Member, Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) explained, "Christianity began in the Middle East - it thrived in the Middle East, and it is not up to ISIS to determine where Christians are allowed to live."
Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) announced the introduction of bipartisan legislation (H.Con.Res.75), co-authored with Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), declaring ISIS attacks against Christians and other minorities 'genocide' and calling on the United Nations and member countries to pursue the punishment of these crimes.
Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) referenced Hitler's famous quote, "Who Remembers the Armenians?" in urging IDC advocates to remain steadfast in battling indifference with regard to genocide in the Middle East.
In Defense of Christians President Toufic Baaklini (center) with (from l to r) ANcA Capital Gateway Fellow Denise Altounian, ANCA Eastern Region Board Member Armen Sahakyan, ANCA Legislative Affairs Director Raffi Karakashian and ANCA Capital Gateway Fellow Dickran Khodanian at the French Embassy celebrating the Christian heritage in the Middle East.
Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church at the IDC press conference titled "ISIS, Genocide, and an International Response.

WASHINGTON ”“ Calls for concrete U.S. leadership to protect Middle East Christians from extremist violence took center stage on Capitol Hill last week as advocates from across America and around the world gathered for the In Defense of Christians (IDC) convention.

From the opening September 9th press conference held at the National Press Club, the three day event featured commentary by Members of Congress and powerful calls by constituent advocates for global condemnation of ongoing anti-Christian attacks in the Middle East as genocide, and equally forceful demands for U.S. leadership in securing the safety and meeting the humanitarian needs of at-risk indigenous Christian, Yezidi, and other minority communities.

Hamparian: We Must Elevate U.S. Response to Genocide from a Political Choice to a Moral Imperative
During the opening press conference for the IDC convention, titled “ISIS, Genocide, and an International Response,”

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