A Movement at a Crossroads

Addressing hundreds of advocates, faith leaders and policy experts at the Washington Hilton, IRF Summit co-chair Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, president of the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights, said the international religious freedom movement stands at a crossroads.

The two-day summit, running through Tuesday, brings together more than 90 organizations representing over 30 faith traditions. The event features plenary sessions, spotlight presentations and breakout tracks focused on action, accountability and awareness.

A Global Movement Feared by Dictators

Co-chair Sam Brownback, who served as U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom from 2018 to 2021, framed the movement as both a moral and geopolitical struggle.

Brownback described people of faith living under repressive regimes as “our greatest ally,” saying their perseverance and public witness challenge authoritarian systems from within.

Summit Growth and Global Reach

The IRF Summit was launched in 2021 and has grown into one of the largest civil society gatherings focused on advancing freedom of religion or belief worldwide. Summit partners say their goal is to build political and public support for international religious freedom and to encourage governments, civil society and faith communities to defend conscience rights across borders.

In her remarks, Lantos Swett said the movement’s growth has been fueled by a broad coalition committed to speaking on behalf of those who suffer because of their beliefs.

High-Profile Speakers and Messages

The summit featured addresses from distinguished political leaders, including former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who delivered a powerful message from the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader who lives in exile in India.

Former President George W. Bush also addressed the gathering by prerecorded video message, emphasizing the plight of those who suffer for their faith.

U.N. Ambassador on Religious Persecution

In a remarkable display of unity across political divides, Trump administration officials argued for the United Nations from the same stage where the Dalai Lama provided an inspiring message delivered by Nancy Pelosi. Hundreds of vastly different people—as different as President Donald Trump and Pelosi or evangelicals and Muslims—united over gut-wrenching first-person accounts of shocking religious persecution, from beheadings and other killings to abduction, imprisonment and sexual violence.

The unthinkable suffering is exactly what made Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations describe the U.N. as indispensable despite the president’s well-known attacks on that beleaguered international institution.

Ambassador Waltz emphasized the urgency of protecting persecuted Christians and other religious minorities:

Rising Authoritarianism and Religious Freedom

Maureen Ferguson, commissioner for the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, told participants that people of faith are frequently targeted by authoritarian governments.

Countries of Particular Concern

Summit speakers highlighted specific regions and countries where religious persecution is most severe. Lantos Swett detailed that China, Iran, and Russia are at the “top of the list” of worst countries when it comes to religious freedom matters.

Regarding China specifically, she expressed deep concern:

Brownback agreed, noting that China produces technology that “goes out to, we think, nearly 80 countries for oppression.”

Ferguson praised the Trump administration for redesignating Nigeria a country of particular concern in response to violence by Islamist groups perpetuated against predominantly Christian communities, and in some cases moderate Muslim communities.

Transnational Repression and Emerging Threats

Current concerns highlighted at the summit include what is known as “transnational repression”—where authoritarian regimes extend their reach beyond national borders to intimidate, harass, or harm dissidents and religious minorities.

The Movement’s Path Forward

Brownback outlined the movement’s strategic position and next steps during a Feb. 2 summit panel:

He emphasized the need for coalition-building:

A Nonpartisan Cause

Lantos Swett emphasized that the cause for religious liberty transcends political divisions:

Combating Nihilism with Purpose

Lantos Swett noted that the movement is growing in part due to “an unease about the pervasive nihilism we see in the world around us.”

She expressed hope that this search for meaning will help recruit a new generation of leaders to the movement “because they are starting to understand how important it is to have a defining purpose and sense of meaning and consequence to your life.”

Religious Freedom and National Security

Nicole Bibbins Sedaca, the Kelly and David Pfeil Fellow at the George W. Bush Institute, made the connection between religious freedom and national security explicit:

Scott Busby, senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, noted that “religious freedom is a barometer, generally I have found in my career for how other freedoms are treated similarly.”

Looking Ahead

Organizers say the annual gathering is intended to strengthen cooperation among advocates and to draw global attention to religious persecution, discrimination and violence, which they describe as growing threats to social stability, human rights and peace.

As the summit concluded, participants left with renewed commitment to the cause of religious freedom, armed with new strategies, partnerships, and a deeper understanding of both the challenges ahead and the growing global movement determined to confront them.