Coptic Solidarity Second Annual Conference 2011

Policy Education Day July 8 & 9, 2011

WASHINGTON, July 15, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In an important show of support to the Copts as they, and Egypt, go through difficult times, eight U.S. Congressmen addressed a Policy Education Day organized by Coptic Solidarity on July 8. Altogether, some thirty five speakers took part in the two-day event, including policy experts, human rights and legal experts and representatives of several Middle Eastern minorities and indigenous communities. The conference, held under the theme of "Will Religious and Ethnic Minorities Pay the Price of the 'Arab Spring'?", discussed such issues as the geopolitics of the Copts in Egypt; democracy prospects in Egypt; respect of human and minority rights; persecution before and after the Arab Spring; Muslim Brotherhood, Salafists and the Copts; aid to Egypt; building alliances; role of the media; and the Coptic Youth in the Revolt and in the diaspora.

Key among the conference's resolutions:

1. Work in close alliance and coordination with genuine democratic, liberal and secular civil society forces in Egypt in order to save the country from the drastic consequences of falling under the control of a regime based on totalitarian religious ideologies;
2. Help the international community understand the strategic, long-term, negative impact of misunderstanding the nature of, or flirting with, the forces of religious fascism trying to dominate Egypt and the region;
3. Call upon the international community to tie any aid to Egypt to the country's abiding, constitutionally and legally, by its commitment to international human rights conventions and treaties; and to ear mark part of the aid to compensate victims of religious hate crimes.
4. Join hands with other N.E. religious minorities and indigenous communities to form a new regional organization that upholds values of secularism and human rights in the area;
5. Actively support the passage of resolutions H.R. 440 and S. 1245, on the appointment of a special envoy on religious freedom of N.E. religious minorities.

The Christian Copts are the native religious community of Egypt, descended from ancient Egyptians. They number around 15 million, including a large diaspora with more than half a million strong community of American Copts.

The Copts have been subjected to aggression and discrimination in Egypt at the hands of extremists and colluding authorities. Since the fall of Mubarak's authoritarian regime, the Coptic and other minority communities face an uncertain future shadowed by the prospect of a Muslim Brotherhood dominated government in the near future.

Coptic Solidarity is an INGO seeking to support of the Coptic community in Egypt and the protection of the fundamental human rights of all Egyptians.

For further information please contact:
[email protected]
[email protected] - 202-725-3091
[email protected] - 240-644-5153

SOURCE Coptic Solidarity