“We want to get the various faiths to bind together and to stand for each other’s freedom of religion” – Sam Brownback, U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom

In the beginning of the State Department’s Second Annual Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback declared: “Our effort is to stir actions. We want to see really a global grass-roots movement around religious freedom. We want to get the various faiths to bind together and to stand for each other’s freedom of religion.” He also said that the “iron curtain” of religious persecution must “come down now.”

"80 percent of the world's population live in a religiously restrictive place. It is past time to bring down these religious restrictions" – @IRF_Ambassador Sam Brownback delivers remarks at the Ministerial To Advance #ReligiousFreedom. #IRFMinisterial pic.twitter.com/LcGVxRDKES — Department of State (@StateDept) July 16, 2019

U.S. Leaders unequivocally raised their voices to call for a worldwide “grassroots” movement to combat religious persecution at the gathering. The ministerial is in Washington D.C. from July 15-19 and is graced by the presence of 1,000 religious and civil society leaders from around the globe and 100 foreign delegations and leaders of non-governmental organizations.

“All people must be permitted to practice their faith openly” whether at a house of worship, in public or at the comfort of their own homes, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in the opening of the Ministerial.

America's Founders articulated and secured our unalienable rights in our founding principles. Today, @statedept promotes these universal rights globally. That's why I'm proud to convene the second Ministerial to advance religious freedom next week. #IRFMinisterial — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) July 11, 2019

“The right to practice and live out one’s own religion is fundamental and is already found in in the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” the Catholic News Agency described Brownback as saying and “also in the constitutions of most countries.”

Brownback called all “to begin forming ‘religious freedom roundtables’ in their own communities and hosting discussions between religious leaders on ways to protect freedom of religion for everyone,” stated CNA.

“We need your activism. We need your passion. We need you to boldly fight for religious freedom. As united we do stand, divided we fall – and often we fall in catastrophic, and sometimes even genocidal, ways,” said Brownback.

The Church of Scientology is hosting two side events to the Ministerial:

The first is Thursday July 18, at noon at the Church of Scientology National Public Affairs Office at Fraser Mansion on DuPont Circle. The topic is “Advancing Accountability: Tools to Curb International Violators of Religious Freedom,” and it will focus on the Magnitsky Act as a means of exerting pressure on repressive regimes.

On July 18, @SecPompeo and @VP Pence will deliver remarks at the second annual #IRFMinisterial on the state of religious freedom around the world and underscore international religious freedom as a key to U.S. foreign policy priority. https://t.co/qtXxnwNMef — Department of State (@StateDept) July 15, 2019

The second is on Friday, July 19, from 2 to 4 pm at the L. Ron Hubbard House Museum. The topic is “Advancing Stability and Economic Development Through Religious Freedom.”

The church is also making their booklet, “What is Religious Freedom” available to conference attendees. The booklet may be downloaded online:

? In recognition of this week of the 'Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom' conference, we offer a free 'What is Religious Freedom?' booklet: https://t.co/JGqdGRq56R#IRFMinisterial #ReligiousFreedom pic.twitter.com/7wu4nt39qd — Scientology (@Scientology) July 16, 2019

America's Founders articulated and secured our unalienable rights in our founding principles. Today, @statedept promotes these universal rights globally. That's why I'm proud to convene the second Ministerial to advance religious freedom next week. #IRFMinisterial — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) July 11, 2019

What is the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Roundtable?

According to The Mitchell Firm,

“The IRF Roundtable is an informal group of individuals from non-governmental organizations who gather regularly to discuss IRF issues on a non-attribution basis. It is simply a safe space where participants gather, speak freely in sharing ideas and information, and propose joint advocacy actions to address specific IRF issues and problems. In response to various participant-led initiatives regarding the protection and promotion of freedom of religion, conscience, and belief in the U.S. and abroad, all participants have the opportunity to self-select into coalitions of the willing.”

Right now hymns and prayers are being offered in the Rotunda of the Capitol for the persecuted church in the Middle East. #IRFMinisterial #IDC2019 pic.twitter.com/HW1zryvSBU — IDC (@indefchristians) July 16, 2019

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