Contact: Lindsay Vessey, Coptic Solidarity, 801-512-1713, coptadvocacy@copticsolidarity.org
         
WASHINGTON, June 8, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- Coptic Solidarity will host its 7th Annual Conference in Washington, DC June 9-10, 2016.  The conference theme is The Future of Egypt's Religious Minorities: Status of Copts after Two Revolutions.

Despite two revolutions, life for Copts as second class citizens has changed little.  Discrimination against Copts permeates the everyday life of millions of people, and at times evidences itself in horrific acts of violence, such as the recent lynching of an elderly Christian woman that shamed Egypt as a whole.  The plight of Copts reflects the plight of Egypt. 

The Annual Conference will bring together leading experts to address the status of Copts from a wide variety of perspectives.  A Policy Day will be hosted at the Reserve Officer Association in the Minuteman Ballroom on June 9th from 11:00AM – 5:30PM followed by a banquet dinner at the same location. The conference will continue on June 10th at the Omni Shoreham Hotel with a program scheduled 9:00 AM – 4:00PM.

Heading the speaker list will be leading Egyptian public figures Mr. Naguib Sawiris, Chief Executive Officer of Orascom Telecom Media & Technology and founder of the Free Egyptians Party and Ms. Fatima Naoot, prominent writer and poet and former independent candidate to the Egyptian parliament recently was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for comments deemed blasphemous to Islam.

Others confirmed experts in attendance include: USCIRF Commissioner Dr. Daniel I. Mark, U.S. State Department Special Advisor for Religious Minorities in the Near East and South/Central Asia Mr. Knox Thames, Co-Secretary General of the Transatlantic Parliamentary Group on Counter Terrorism Dr. Walid Phares, and President of the St. Cyril of Alexandria Orthodox Christian Society Holy Transfiguration College, Fr. Michael Sorial. Members of Congresses confirmed to speak include: Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ), Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX), Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA), Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Rep. Dave Trott (R-MI). 

The conference is open to the public and media. Interested individuals can register for the conference at www.copticsolidarity.org/events/conferences and purchase banquet dinner tickets at www.copticsolidarity.org/2016/04/19/7th-conference-banquet.

Coptic Solidarity calls on all concerned individuals to reject the forces of regression seeking to block positive change in Egypt, and to join us supporting the vision of a free, modern and prosperous Egypt.

Coptic Solidarity is an organization seeking to help minorities, particularly the Copts, of Egypt and we support those in Egypt working for democracy, freedom, and the protection of the fundamental rights of all Egyptian citizens. For more information, contact Lindsay Vessey at 801-512-1713 or coptadvocacy@copticsolidarity.org