10 survivors who shared horrors of persecution at State Dept. ministerial

By Samuel Smith, Deputy Managing Editor Saturday, July 27, 2019

Survivors of religious persecution meet with President Donald Trump at the White House on July 17, 2019. | White House

WASHINGTON — Last week’s State Department ministerial to advance religious freedom worldwide was historic not only for the fact that it’s said to be the largest event of its kind ever held, but also because it united a diverse group of people from across the world who've been persecuted for their faith and culture.

Nearly 30 survivors of religious persecution attended the second State Department Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, an event that the Trump administration had promised would be a much larger version of the inaugural ministerial held last July.

Coming from the Middle East, Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and even one person from the U.S. (Pittsburgh synagogue shooting survivor), the diversity of the survivors who attended was evidence that religious persecution affects people of many different religions and ethnicities worldwide.

In the following pages are 10 survivors of religious persecution who participated in the ministerial and last Wednesday’s White House meeting with President Donald Trump.