Program

Day 1, May 21

The Catholic University of America, Conway School of Nursing (620 Michigan Avenue NE Gowan Hall)

Skip to Day 2 Program

Check-in opens at 8:30 am.

9:00 -10:30 AM

Civil Society Congress

Breaking Barriers: Pathways to Greater Impact in Advancing Religious Freedom

Welcome Remarks: Greg Mitchell, IRF Secretariat; Wade Kusack, Love Your Neighbor Community

Problem Statement: Nadine Maenza, IRF Secretariat

3-4-Minute Presentations by IRF Roundtable/Civil Society Participants

  • Moderator: Paul Murray, Global Peace Foundation

  • Ideas in response to: What can we do to increase our impact?

10:30 -11:00 AM

Coffee Break & Networking

11:00 AM -11:30 AM

Civil Society Congress (Continued)

Breaking Barriers: Pathways to Greater Impact in Advancing Religious Freedom

11:30 AM -12:00 PM

Multi-Faith Planning Session: Congressional Affairs

Organizers: Anna Sineva and Kyle Cristofalo, Co-Chairs of the IRF Roundtable Congressional Working Group and 2025 IRF Builder Awardees

12:00 -1:00 PM

Lunch & Networking

1:00 -1:30 PM

Multi-Faith Planning Session: Middle East

Organizers: Lauren Homer, Tugba Tanyeri Erdemir, and William Roberts; Co-Chairs of the IRF Roundtable Middle East Working Group

Moderator: William Roberts, Government Relations Associate, In Defense of Christians, Co-Chair of IRF Roundtable Middle East Working Group, 2025 IRF Builder Awardee

Speakers:

  • Nadine Maenza, President of IRF Secretariat, former Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom

  • Lauren Homer, President of Law & Liberty Trust, Co-Chair of IRF Roundtable Middle East Working Group, 2025 IRF Builder Awardee

  • Aykan Erdemir, former member of the Turkish Parliament (2011 to 2015), Senior Director of Global Research and Diplomatic Affairs, Anti-Defamation League

1:30 -2:00 PM

Multi-Faith Planning Session: Genocide in Africa

Organizers: Dr. Greg Stanton, Co-Chair of the IRF Roundtable Genocide Working Group; and Scott Morgan and Rev. Canice Chinyeaka Enyiaka, Co-Chairs of the IRF Roundtable Africa Working Group

2:00 -2:30 PM

Multi-Faith Planning Session: Prisoners of Conscience & Youth Engagement

Organizers: Sean Nelson & Hulda Fahmi, Co-Chairs of the IRF Roundtable Prisoners of Conscience Working Group and 2025 IRF Builder Awardees

2:45 -3:30 PM

Panel Discussion on Religious Freedom & Business Foundation Pilot Program in India

Organizers: Dare to Overcome, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation (RFBF)

Moderator: Dr. Christina Clark, Education Specialist for RFBF

Following this session, participants will take a 2-minute walk from the Conway School of Nursing to Maloney Hall (Busch School of Business).

4:00 -4:45 PM

Joint Session with RFBF at Dare to Overcome

Opening Remarks: Chris Seiple, Love Your Neighbor Community

“Fireside” Chat with Brian Grim, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation, and Greg Mitchell, IRF Secretariat

5:00 -5:45 PM

Networking Reception

6:00 -8:30 PM

Roger Williams IRF Awards Dinner

Location: Father O’Connell Hall (Heritage Hall), Address: 611 Alumni Lane

Join us in celebrating the diligence, hard work, and impact of these IRF Builder Awardees. We look forward to recognizing them on the evening of May 21. Doors open at 5:45 PM and separate tickets are required.

Day 2, May 22

The Catholic University of America, Maloney Hall, Busch School of Business

(700 University Drive NE/ 620 Michigan Ave NE)

Check-in opens at 8:30 AM.

9:00 -9:50 AM

Opening Session

Welcome Remarks from the Conveners

  • Greg Mitchell, IRF Secretariat

  • Wade Kusack, Love Your Neighbor Community

  • W. Christopher Stewart, Templeton Religion Trust

  • Brian Grim, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation

The Current State of International Religious Freedom by Nadine Maenza, IRF Secretariat

Opening Keynote Remarks

  • Patrick Harvey, Senior IRF Official, U.S. State Department

  • Stephen Schneck, Chair, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom

  • Fernanda San Martin Carrasco, Director, International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief (IPPFoRB)

  • Jan Figel, Former E.U. Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief outside the E.U.

9:50 -10:30 AM

How We Got Here & Framing Remarks

  • Greg Mitchell, IRF Secretariat

  • Wade Kusack, Love Your Neighbor Community

10:30 -11:00 AM

Coffee Break & Networking

11:00 -11:15 AM

Keynotes Remarks

Pastor Paula White-Cain, Senior Advisor, White House Faith Office

11:15 AM -12:15 PM

The Impact of Engagement & the Builders Approach

Moderator: Greg Mitchell, IRF Secretariat; Wade Kusack, LYNC

Video from Institut Leimena (Indonesia)

Speakers:

  • Rev. Arman Arenbayev (Kazakhstan)

  • Imam Nazirkhan Tashkhodjaev (Kazakhstan)

  • Pastor Raul Marroquin, Estamos Unidos (Guatemala)

  • Nadine Maenza, IRF Secretariat (NE Syria)

  • Professor John Azumah, The Sanneh Institute (Ghana)

  • Guram Imerishvili (Georgia)

  • Cristian Badillo, Conciencia Nacional por la Libertad Religiosa (Mexico)

12:15 -1:15 PM

Lunch & Networking

1:15 -2:00 PM

Philanthropy Discussion

Moderator: W. Christopher Stewart, Chief Grants Officer, Templeton Religion Trust

Speakers:

  • Farhan Latif, El Hibri Foundation

  • Dr. Paul Murray, Global Peace Foundation

2:00 -3:20 PM

Regional Initiatives to Build Religious Freedom, Social Cohesion, and Covenantal Pluralism

Moderators: Wade Kusack, LYNC; Paul Murray, Global Peace Foundation

Government Speakers:

  • H.E. Yerzhan Ashikbayev, Kazakhstan Ambassador to the United States

  • Zaza Vashakmadze, Chair of the State Agency for Religious Issues, Republic of Georgia

Civil Society Speakers:

  • Pastor Raul Marroquin, Estamos Unidos (Guatemala)

  • Rev. Arman Arenbayev (Kazakhstan)

  • Imam Mazirkhan Tashkhodjaev (Kazakhstan)

  • Guram Imerishvili (Georgia)

  • Halina Kusack, LYNC

  • Professor John Azumah, The Sanneh Institute (Ghana)

  • Cristian Badillo, Conciencia Nacional por la Libertad Religiosa (Mexico)

3:20 -3:30 PM

Signing Ceremony

Memorandum of Understanding related to building religious freedom in the South Caucasus Region will be signed by the leaders of IRF Secretariat, LYNC, and the State Agency for Religious Issues, Republic of Georgia.

3:30 -4:00 PM

Coffee Break & Networking

4:00 -4:45 PM

Strategic Initiatives & Multi-Sector Co-Creation

Moderator: Simran Steulpnagel, IRF Secretariat Corporate Council

Speakers: to be announced

4:45 -5:00 PM

Open Mic

IRF Builders Forum participants will be invited to give 60-second responses and contributions.

5:00 -5:40 PM

Where Do We Go From Here?

Moderator: Greg Mitchell, IRF Secretariat

Speakers:

  • Pam Pryor, Former U.S. State Department Senior Bureau Official, Bureau of International Organization Affairs; Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights; and Senior Advisor for Global Justice in the Office of International Religious Freedom

  • Sarah Makin, Former National Security Council Senior Director for Strategic Engagement; and Senior Advisor to the President on International Religious Freedom

  • Samah Norquist, Public Policy Fellow at the Wilson Center. Former Chief Advisor for International Religious Freedom to the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

5:40 -5:45 PM

Conclusion

  • Greg Mitchell, IRF Secretariat

  • Wade Kusack, Love Your Neighbor Community

Map & Locations

Day 1 | May 21: IRF Builders Forum

  • Conway School of Nursing

  • Address: 620 Michigan Avenue NE Gowan Hall

Day 1 | May 21: Roger Williams IRF Awards Dinner

  • Father O’Connell Hall (Heritage Hall)

  • Address: 611 Alumni Lane

Day 2 | May 22: IRF Builders Forum

  • Maloney Hall (Busch School of Business)

  • Address: 700 University Drive NE/ 620 Michigan Ave NE