The "In Defence of Christians (IDC) Summit" opened in Washington, DC on Tuesday September 9 with the participation of Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, the prefect for the Congregation for the Eastern Churches, Christian leaders, human rights experts, public officials, policy makers, diplomats, and representatives from across the Middle Eastern Christian Diaspora.

In an address to the assembled leaders, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, the Prefect for the Congregation for the Eastern Churches, said, “News and images of the terrible events in the Middle East — and especially in Iraq and Syria, not to forget Africa, starting with Nigeria — reach us every day." In addition to the forms of violence and cruelty already denounced by the Council for Interreligious Dialogue, including massacres, beheadings, and forced exile, Cardinal Sandri denounced “the barbaric indoctrination of children.” For all these reasons, he said, “let us renew the request that all direct or indirect political, economic and military support of ISIS be explicitly rejected.” He also called for an end to the “complicity of a widespread silence that is enveloping the conflict in Syria.”

Nonetheless, Cardinal Sandri rejected the idea of a “clash of civilizations,” an “act of war between Islam and Christianity.” The conflict, he said, is not between a “foreign” Christian culture and a native Islamic Arabic culture; but is rather an attack on “the clear reality of a respectful and useful coexistence.” He said, too, “it is impossible above all to quell doubts about how the vast economic interests at stake affect the conflict. “In practice, it is the culture of waste, often denounced by the Pope, that dominates: in the face of personal economic interests, in the face of one’s own idea, the other person with his or her own life and inviolable dignity becomes secondary and can even be annihilated, or at least not taken into account.” On the contrary, he said, “the other person is a human being ab origine and not because the state, the Constitution, or any other group must recognize him as such.”

Repeating the position of the Holy See, Cardinal Sandri said, “Therefore we must insist that it should be the United Nations in New York, to become increasingly and transparently the place where decisions are made in which all peoples not only proclaim but also defend in practice with adequate resolutions and actions the dignity of the Christians in the Middle East, together with those who belong to every other minority.”

Cardinal Sandri noted in particular the Christians of Niniveh, known today as Mosul: “Let us forcefully repeat with our brothers and sisters that their return to that city and to their lands must be guaranteed, on pain of the dissolution of a society that was capable of reciprocal coexistence for centuries.” He said, though, that while “the unjust assailant must be halted” the use of force should not be considered as the only option. Any response to unjust aggression, he said, must take place “within the framework of an international agreement under the aegis of the United Nations involving Arab and Muslim countries.”

Concluding his address, Cardinal Sandri recalled the figure of Jonah, revered as a prophet by Christians, Muslims and Jews. “Just as Jonah was sent in order that the hearts of the people of Niniveh might once again return to the Lord, let us do all we can to ensure that the mind – dimmed by violent action in the name of a god who would thus in his turn appear violent, as well as irrational – may succeed in making people understand that every form of violence is in opposition to God’s nature and to the nature of the human soul.” Only “when people understand that God’s glory cannot be separated from human life,” will “righteousness and justice… kiss each other,” in the words of the Psalm.

In his address, Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai called on the United States to take a clear stand and further steps to protect Christians who are subjected to killing and displacement at the hands of ISIS and the terrorist organizations. He added that "the East is the homeland of Christians and today they are threatened with extinction in light of what is happening to them.”

He said: "We came to Washington to say that nobody should abandon human society. What happened to Christians in Iraq and Mosul represents going back to the Stone Age as people were forced to leave their homes at a time when the Arab world and the West have not lifted a finger. It is not comprehensible that no one can stop the beast advancing towards the people. We are here, thus, to say that this is a capital crime against humanity; and the Arab-Islamic society firstly and the Western society secondly should bear in mind that the Christians are not minorities. We are the indigenous people who lived in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan 2,000 years ago. We built these homelands and continue to do so today being active in the commercial, economic, cultural, and religious, financial and spiritual fields. We are not minorities."

He added: "The world is obliged to stop, deter these terrorist organizations, dry up aid to them, restore the displaced to their homes and provide protection for them. The Arab, international and Islamic communities are not to stand idly by watching human rights violations under way. Unless justice prevails in this world, we will have gone back to the law of the jungle. From this very place where we can address the world, we say: ‘We are not here to defend small groups but to defend human society. It is shameful today for the world to keep silent and allow takfiri and terrorist groups to kill people whoever they are. The Arab and Islamic countries must bear integral responsibility because these movements emanate from them and distort Islam. We doubt that Islam will maintain its real essence.”

He continued: "The Arab and Islamic worlds as well as the international community are responsible for the human family. Why is there the UN Security Council and the United Nations? We address those responsible for these organizations, their conscience, the International Criminal Court, the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to tell them that is it possible at the era of globalization to return to the Stone Age? Today our dignity is hurt. Not only our dignity as Christians. All the displaced should return home to live in dignity.”

Stating that Christianity was born in the Middle East, Greek Orthdox Patriarch Aram I criticized those who exploit religious teaching for political causes. He added: “Churches oppose the emigration of Christians from the Middle East. Christians are part of the Middle East and must remain attached to their lands and rights.” During his speech His Holiness twice reminded the audience of the Armenian Genocide and the persecution of Christians under the Ottoman Empire.

For his part, Patriarch Gregory III Laham of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church underlined "the need for the United States to protect Christians in the East." He stressed that "we are unanimously here seeking one goal," and reiterated "the importance of Christian-Muslim coexistence".

Patriarch Ignatius Ephrem Joseph III Younan of the Syriac Catholic Church underlined "the need to defend the freedom of communities in the East."

This event is unique since the primary purpose of the summit is to bring all members of the Diaspora together in a new-found sense of unity. This solidarity will strengthen advocacy efforts with policy makers and elected officials make more palatable grassroots outreach to the American public. The survival of the historic Christian communities is not merely a moral imperative; it is in the interests of all nations and peoples of the West and the Middle East.

The Middle Eastern Christians have long been an integral part of the social fabric, and have contributed, alongside Muslims, to the construction of the Arab civilization. They have had an especially formative role in promoting education, literacy, learning and health care which serve all people in the region.

It is worthy to note that “In Defence of Christians” (IDC) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization whose mission is to heighten awareness among policymakers and the general public of the existence of ancient and often persecuted minority communities in the Middle East, particularly Christians. IDC also conducts policy advocacy for vulnerable Christians and other religious minorities.