Location: Decatur Ballroom
War and conflicts often reshape — and sometimes erase — the religious freedoms communities depend on. From the destruction of sacred sites to the targeting of clergy and believers, conflicts create conditions where faith becomes both a refuge and a fault line. This panel will examine how violations of religious freedom are documented and debated, how religion is framed or weaponized in times of war, and the critical role journalists, researchers, and civil society play in reporting accurately and ethically when the stakes are highest.
SPEAKERS
Peter Flew
Dr. Hormoz Shariat
Dr. Hormoz Shariat is the founder and president of Iran Alive Ministries (IAM), which uses satellite broadcasting and the internet to reach Iranians with the gospel.
Iran Alive’s channel, Shabakeh7, is the most watched Christian channel in Iran with over 7 million daily viewers (7.7% of the population). Named "the Billy Graham of Iran" and "the most influential Iranian American" by Christianity Today, Charisma Magazine and the bestselling author Joel C. Rosenberg, Dr. Shariat is an Iranian Muslim convert who has been doing ministry among Muslimborn Iranians as a Muslim background believer for over 40 years.He has been broadcasting the Gospel into Iran and the Middle East since 2001 and has seen tens of thousands of Iranian Muslims come to Christ.
Dr. Shariat has a Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Southern California and a B.A. in Bible and Theology from Jessup University. His book, “Iran’s Great Awakening, ” is the No. 1 source of information about what is happening in Iran today. In the book, he shares his spiritual journey out of Islam to Christianity, Biblical prophesies about Iran, and the strategies to transform a nation like Iran. He has been featured in Christianity Today, Charisma, and other publications and has also been a guest on various radio and TV stations, such as The 700 Club, TBN, Daystar and the Inspiration Channel. He is also a frequent speaker at events such as The Voice of the Martyrs conferences.
Graham West
Graham F. West currently serves as the Managing Director of Policy and Communications for the Sikh Coalition. In his role, he is responsible for the strategic direction and execution of the organization’s work on federal and state policy issues related to Sikh civil rights. Prior to joining the Sikh Coalition, Graham led the communications team at Truman Center for National Policy and Truman National Security Project.
MODERATOR
David I. Klein
David I. Klein is an Istanbul-based journalist covering the intersection of religion and international affairs across Europe and the Middle East. He's a frequent contributor to the Religion News Service, a former Europe correspondent for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, and has previously worked at the Forward, Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project and CNN.