Religious Freedom Institute (RFI), the International Religious Freedom Roundtable and the Institute for Global Engagement (IGE) briefed the White House National Security Council May 4 on their recommendations for a comprehensive international religious freedom policy and its importance to national security.
The briefing was based on U.S. Foreign Policy and International Religious Freedom: Recommendations for the Trump Administration and the U.S. Congress, a policy brief co-authored by Thomas F. Farr (RFI president) and Dennis R. Hoover (VP for Research and Publications at IGE and editor of The Review of Faith & International Affairs.)
Farr and Hoover were joined at the multifaith presentation by IGE Executive Director James Chen and 18 scholars, activists, and NGO leaders. Representing the National Security Council at the meeting was Dr. Nadia Schadlow, NSC senior director for strategy charged with drafting the National Security Strategy.
The briefing included a presentation by Dr. Nilay Saiya, a leading expert on the vital role of religious freedom in accomplishing sustainable security.
The group also described the importance of rapidly filling the vacant position of U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, head of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom in the State Department, with an experienced and widely respected candidate.
The policy brief was first released at a launch event on Capitol Hill March 20, attended by more than 110 policy makers and activists.
