June 4, 2016

IN THIS ISSUE:
- IDC International Advocacy
- IDC Chapters Activities
- IDC in the News
-IDC National Leadership Convention
June 4, 2016
IDC International Advocacy
IDC at the #WeAreN2016 Congress in New York City
IDC, in partnership with CitizenGo, took part in the “#WeAreN2016" International Congress on Religious
Freedom, which was hosted the Holy See's Permanent Mission to the United Nations. The event took
place in New York from April 28 to 30 and featured international political and religious leaders as well
as human rights experts. The event also enabled Christian and Yazidi victims of persecution in Syria,
Iraq, Nigeria and Pakistan to give testimony to the tragedies they have endured.
IDC Advisory Board Member Dr. Thomas Farr spoke about the dire situation of the Christian and other
religious minorities who remain in Iraq and Syria and reiterated that the international community must
consider the establishment of an autonomous, multi-religious, multi-cultural and multi-ethnic safe zone in
Northern Iraq in order to ensure the survival of Christianity in the region.
IDC Executive Director Kirsten Evans chaired the panel "Christian and Yazidi Women and Girls: Sexual
Victims of Crimes Against Humanity". One participant, a 15-year-old Yazidi girl, who was in ISIS captivity
for six months, shared her tragic story and brought many in the audience to tears.
IDC Haven Project Managing Director Stephen Hollingshead moderated an afternoon panel entitled
"Religious Persecution: The Voice of the Victims." He conversed at length with Samia Selman, a Yazidi
escapee of the ISIS sex-slave trade, and Carl and Marsha Mueller, parents of Kayla Mueller, a young aid
worker and ISIS hostage who was killed in Syria.
IDC Director of Media and Communications Ninar Keyrouz and Senior Advisor Jordan Allott presented the
trailer of Mr. Allott's film documentary "Our Last Stand".
Left: IDC President Toufic Baaklini at the United Nations Head Quarters, New York City.
Right: IDC Senior Advisor Jordan Allott, Director of Media and Communications Ninar Keyrouz, Special Iraq
Advisor Loay Mikhael and Executive Director Kirsten Evans in front of the United Nations as IDC signs a petition
requesting that the United Nations declare that ISIS is perpetating genocide against Christians in Syria and Iraq.
Left: IDC Executive Director Kirsten Evans chairing panel "Christian and Yazidi Women and Girls: Sexual
Victims of Crimes Against Humanity" at the #WeAreN2016 Conference at the United Nations.
Right: IDC Board Advisory Member Thomas Farr speaks as a panelist on "Protecting Victims of Persecution and
Fostering Religious Freedom Worldwide" at the #WeAreN2016 Conference at the United Nations.
Left: IDC Haven Project Managing Director Stephen Hollingshead moderating the panel on "Religious
Persecution: The Voice of the Victims", as part of the "WeAreN2016" conference in New York.
Right: IDC Senior Advisor Jordan Allott and IDC Director of Media and Communications Ninar Keyrouz
present the trailer of the film "Our Last Stand", in partnership with IDC, at the "WeAreN2016" conference in New
York.
IDC Chapters Activities
Wichita, Kansas and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Following the success of the “Power and Persecution” Symposium, which was held in partnership with St.
George Orthodox Christian Cathedral and hosted over 300 attendees, IDC held its first official chapter
meeting May 5th in Wichita, Kansas. More than 60 people met to hold elections and start the Wichita
chapter.
IDC Director of Media and Communications Ninar Keyrouz briefed the attendees about IDC's latest
achievements, announced fellow chapters' projects for the summer of 2016 and oversaw the elections,
which resulted as following:
IDC Wichita Chapter Chair, Nassim Nabbout; Vice-Chair, George Saghbene; Secretary, Maureen
Morrison; and Treasurer, Ziad Jabara. Committee Chairs: Head of Church and Community Outreach,
Tom Rhein; Head of Political Activity Deacon David Sebits; Head of Print and Broadcast Media, Melissa
Cohlmia; and Head of Social Media, Nabeel Jamail.
In Oklahoma City, IDC Director of Media and Communications Ninar Keyrouz was introduced to
an ecumenical crowd of around 40 people at St. Elijah's Antiochian Orthodox Church. The meeting was
organized by Reverend Father John Salem of St. Elijah's and Father Paul O'Callaghan, Dean of the St.
George Orthodox Catholic Cathedral in Wichita.
This meeting was covered by the local media. The state paper, The Oklahoman produced a story pn the
event, which was picked up internationally and published by the official news web site of Russian
Orthodox Church, www.pravoslavie.ru. (See below, "IDC in the News"). Attendees showed high interest in
joining IDC and starting an Oklahoma chapter.
Left: From left to right IDC Wichita Chapter officers Melissa Cohlmia, Print and Broadcast Media; Maureen
Morrison, Secretary; Tom Rhein, Church and Community Outreach. Dean of the St. George Orthodox Catholic
Cathedral, Father Paul O'Callaghan; IDC Director of Media and Communications Ninar Keyrouz. IDC Wichita
Chapter officers George Saghbene, Vice Chair; Nassim Nabbout, Chair; Nabeel Jamail, Social Media; Deacon
David Sebits, Political Activity; Ziad Jabara, Treasurer.
Right: IDC Director of Media and Communications Ninar Keyrouz
IDC Wichita Chapter members.
The Very Reverend Father John Salem of St. Elijah's Antiochian Orthodox Church in Oklahoma city introduces
IDC Director of Media and Communications Ninar Keyrouz to an ecumenical group interested in joining IDC and
raising awareness about the Christian plight in the Middle East.
Denver, Colorado
On May 17th, IDC Denver Chapter leader Brett Manero represented IDC at the monthly Young Catholic
Professionals (YCP) evening in downtown Denver. YCP graciously granted IDC a table at the event,
which included a happy hour reception and a talk about Catholic business ideals.
Manero spoke briefly about the work of IDC and its accomplishments, including the unanimous passage of
the U.S. House of Representatives Resolution 75, which declares ISIS guilty of perpetrating genocide
against Christians and Yazidis in Iraq and Syria. Many attendees showed great interest in IDC and signed
up to learn more about the Denver Chapter. A few also volunteered to help continue building the Denver
Chapter.
On May 20, IDC Colorado Chapter member Father Andre Mahanna, pastor of St. Rafka
Maronite Catholic Church, organized an Ecumenical Prayer Breakfast
with Orthodox, Evangelical and Protestant religious leaders in order to promote and
pursue unity in the face of the global persecution of Christians. The event was
galvanized by the unanimous passage of the U.S. House Congressional Resolution 75
by the U.S. House as well as the State of Colorado's unanimous bicameral passage of
HJR 16-1013. Both resolutions declare that ISIS is guilty of perpetrating genocide
against Christians and other minorities in the Middle East.
The breakfast was attended by their Excellencies Archbishop Samuel Aquila of the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Denver and Bishop Elias Zaidan of the Maronite
Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles, as well as many other
religious leaders and concerned citizens who stood in solidarity to publicize the plight
of modern-day martyrs and refugees.
More than 30 religious leaders and 200 + people attended the St. Rafka Mission of
Hope and Mercy event to learn about and reflect upon the sufferings of refugees.
The Ecumenical Prayer Breakfast is inspired by the courage of Pope Francis and the
Eastern Patriarchs of Constantinople, Moscow, and Alexandria and the PLACE
Initiative and was held in response to the urgent call of The Assembly of Catholic and
Orthodox Patriarchs and Bishops of the Middle East in Lebanon to attend to the
Christian suffering in the Middle East.
From left to right: IDC Colorado chapter member Father Andre Mahanna and Archbishop Samuel J.
Aquila during the prayer service
Phoenix, Arizona
On May 3rd, the IDC Arizona Chapter, led by Bill Fathauer and Simone Rizkallah, partnered with with
Bishop Thomas Olmsted of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix and his parishioners, as well as the
Chaldean Catholic Diocese of St. Peter, for event about Christians on the plight of Christians in the Middle
East at the at Xavier College Preparatory auditorium. Guest and speaker Father Douglas Bazi of the
Chaldean Catholic Church of Iraq spoke of the many Christians in his community who have been driven
from their homes in the face of the ongoing genocide committed by ISIS.
Hundreds of attendees from the Iraqi Christian community in Phoenix as well as supportive members of
the Roman Catholic, Eastern Catholic, and Protestant communities participated in the event. Among them
were IDC Arizona Chapter members who helped share the IDC Mission with the people present.
Arizona Chapter members also talked about IDC's work in Washington, D.C., as well as the the resolution
that Arizona State Senate resolution SM1001, which passed unanimously. The IDC Arizona Chapter
tirelessly advocated for this bill and deserves enormous praise for its successful passage.
IDC in the News
Fox News TV and Web, Exclusive Coverage: Iraqi Christian details how ISIS fighters 'married' her
only for rape
Fox News Chief Intelligence Correspondent Catherine Herridge interviews IDC President Toufic Baaklini
as part of an excellent report covering the atrocities ISIS is committing against the Christians of Iraq,
particularly the women.
This report was aired repeatedly on Fox News Friday June 3, 2016, and is featured on Fox Website as
well. The video of the Christian Iraqi woman telling her story to IDC president was taped by IDC team
during their trip to Iraq this past April. Fox News aired it first and exclusively.
The Washington Examiner: A Christian imprisoned in Turkey.
Op- Ed by IDC Senior Advisor Jordan Allott following his trip to the Middle East for the filming of his
documentary "Our Last Stand", in partnership with IDC.
Denver Catholic Online: Ecumenical community rallies at second annual prayer breakfast.
Aaron Lambert covers the event "organized by Father Mahanna (IDC Colorado chapter member), who
serves as the director of ecumenism for Our Lady of Lebanon Eparchy and is also the pastor of St.
Rafka’s Maronite Catholic Church in Lakewood. The event was held at St. Bernadette Catholic Church in
Lakewood.
Pravoslavie Online, the official news website for the Russian Orthodox
Church: Orthodox Church in Oklahoma City Considers Joining Group to Aid Christians Persecuted in the Middle
East: "Ninar Keyrouz, director of media and communications for In Defense of Christians, said her
organization is working to increase the American public's awareness of Christian persecution in the Middle
East and give people ways they can help this group of believers."
Fox Radio News: Interview with IDC Director of Media and Communications Ninar Keyrouz
Jonathan Wachtel of Fox News discusses with Keyrouz the #WeAreN2016 International Congress on
Religious Freedom, which IDC sponsored with CitizenGo and was hosted by the Permanent Observer of
the Holy See to the United Nations.
Keyrouz spoke about IDC's request to the United Nations to immediately attend to the needs of Christians
in Syria and Iraq.
EWTN News Nightly: IDC Senior Advisor and Producer Jordan Allott talks to Brian Patrick
about showing the trailer for his documentary at the United Nations.
IDC Senior Advisor and Producer Jordan Allott discusses showing the trailer for "Our Last Stand" at the
"WeAreN2016" Congress on International Religious Freedom as well as other significant events at this
conference.
EWTN News Nightly: IDC Senior Advisor and Producer Jordan Allott Talks to Brian Patrick
About Showing the Trailer for His Documentary at the United Nations.
IDC Senior Advisor and Producer Jordan Allott discusses showing the trailer for "Our Last Stand" at the
"WeAreN2016" Congress on International Religious Freedom as well as other significant events at this
conference.
The Oklahoman: Local Orthodox Church Considers Joining Group to Aid Christians
Persecuted in the Middle East
The Oklahoman's Carla Hinton interviews IDC Director of Media and Communications Ninar Keyrouz in
which she discusses introducing IDC to an ecumenical crowd in Oklahoma City and explains the role of
IDC chapters to help raise awareness of the Christian plight in the Middle East.
Relevant Radio: IDC Executive Director Kirsten Evans Discusses the United Nations
#WeAreN2016 International Congress on Religious Freedom
IDC Executive Director Kirsten Evans discusses the Congress with Relevant Radio and recounts ISIS
victims' testimonies as well as the participation of IDC at the event.
Alhurra TV News: UN Correspondent Nabil Abi Saab Covers the United Nations
#WeAreN2016 International Congress on Religious Freedom and interviews IDC Director of
Media and Communications Ninar Keyrouz
Keyrouz speaks about IDC's request that the United Nations advocate for the restoration of Christian
properties in the Nineveh plain as a haven for displaced Christians in Iraq.
EWTN News Nightly: IDC Executive Director Kirsten Evans Discusses with Brian Patrick the Implications of
the Genocide Declaration, which unanimously passed the U.S. House of Representatives on March 14th.
Kirsten Evans discusses the importance of the genocide declaration and the implications of calling the
atrocities committed in Iraq and Syria against Christians a genocide. She also talks about her recent trip to
Iraq where the many Christian refugees she encountered pleaded their plight and asked for help to return
to their communities.
Ishtar TV and Online: Exclusive Interview with IDC Director of Media and Communications
Ninar Keyrouz
Keyrouz speaks about IDC's achievements in raising awareness of the Christian genocide and building
partnerships in Washington, D.C.
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