AMCD cordially invites you to attend the

2026 American Mideast Coalition for Democracy Conference

Expanding on Abraham Accords:

People-to-People Pathways to Peace

LAST UPDATE: July 20, 2026

A special one-day conference and lunch event bringing together Middle Eastern and American Jewish communities. Building on the spirit of the Abraham Accords, this gathering will expand diplomatic breakthroughs into genuine people-to-people connections through meaningful dialogue, shared stories, cultural understanding, and new partnerships. Join us for inspiring conversations by day and a celebratory banquet by night as we explore our common heritage and build bridges of hope, friendship, and collaboration in America.

Wednesday, July 22, 2026

10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Day Conference Special 1:00 p.m. Lunch Event with Special Guest:

Ambassador Yechiel Leiter

Bellator Hall at Conservative Partnership Institute

213 Pennsylvania Avenue SE | Washington, D.C.

For any questions and to RSVP kindly reach out to Mackenzie Smith
[email protected] | 202-556-1126

A donation of $300/Person is appreciated if you would like to contribute toward the event, payable through paypal or use the QR code below.

PROGRAM

MC: Mr. John Hajjar, Co-Chair of AMCD
9:30 A.M. – 10:00 A.M.
Conference Welcome / Coffee
We are honored to welcome Members of Congress who will stop by
throughout the day for special remarks.

10:00 A.M. – 10:55 A.M. | PANEL I
Minorities & Indigenous Communities / Challenges & Solutions
Remarks /Moderator David Schenker: Former Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs & Taube senior Fellow at the Washington Institute.

Mr. Entifadh Qanbar | Chairman of The Kurdish Protection Action Council
Dr. Ashraf Alamatouri | Director of Nexus Institute for Druze Studies
Christina Abraham | Founder & Executive Director of Ethnikos Association of
Lattakia-Antaradus (EALA)
Sarah Abbas | Founder & Executive Director of Western Syria Alliance, Canada

11:00 A.M. – 11:55 A.M. | PANEL II
How the Abraham Accords Can Expand Religious Freedom Across the MENA Region
Moderator: Astrid Mattar Hajjar | Co-Founder of the Abraham Women’s Alliance and Director of International Partnerships for Empower Women Media

Soraya Deen | Executive Director / Founder, Muslim Women Speakers and Nigerian Women Lead; interfaith leader, conflict transformation specialist, and global advocate for Muslim-Jewish relations.
Jennifer Makar | Executive Director of the American Hindu Jewish Congress
Hagar Hajjar Chemali: Foreign Policy analyst & advisor, and co-founder Lebanon Israel Peace Alliance.
Hayvi Bouzo | Co-founder & Executive Director, Yalla; Co-founder & Executive Director Middle East 24

12:00 – 12:15 P.M. | PRESENTATION
The Muslim Brotherhood Threat to Destroy Peace
Lara Logan: Distinguished, award-winning investigative journalist

12:15 – 12:30 P.M. |
The Islamic Regime In Iran Is Not Iran
Gazelle Sharmahd | Spokesperson, Kingdom Assembly of Iran (Tondar); daughter of Jamshid Sharmahd, a leading voice in Iran’s resistance who gave his life for freedom.

1:00 P.M. – 2:00 P.M. | LUNCH
Keynote Luncheon

Remarks | Dr. Walid Phares
Keynote Speaker | Ambassador Yechiel Leiter, Israel’s Ambassador to the United States

2:00 P.M. – 2:55 P.M.| PANEL III
Policy, Security & Abraham Accords Expansion
Remarks / Moderator
Dr. Walid Phares | foreign policy expert, author

Ambassador Dennis Ross | American diplomat & author, Washington Institute
Anne Dreazen | Vice President, AJC Center for a New Middle East
Hussain Abdul-Hussain | Research fellow at FDD; author of The Arab Case for Israel
Dr. Dan Diker | President, Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs

3:00 P.M. – 3:55 P.M.| PANEL IV
Religious Freedom, Indigenous Communities, and Regional Stability
Moderator: Fr. Andre Mahanna | President of Apostolate of Our Lady of Hope – St. Rafka, Mission of Hope & Mercy

Bishop Mark Brown | Founder of The Voice Ministerial Alliance
Rabbi Jonathan Hausman | the rabbi of Congregation Ahavath Torah in Stoughton, Massachusetts
Mr. Danny Burmawi | Chief Executive of The Ideological Defense Institute – Author of Islam, Israel and the West
Dr. Charles Jacobs | President of The International Freedom Coalition

4:00 P.M. – 4:10 P.M Adoption of the Washington Declaration
The Washington Declaration on People-to-People Peace and Indigenous
Cooperation in the Middle East.
Closing Remarks · Conference Adjournment

Partners:

The American Mideast Coalition for Democracy (AMCD) is a 501(c)4. AMCD is a non-partisan, grass-roots organization dedicated to empowering the estimated 10 million Americans of Middle Eastern descent to promote greater understanding and beneficial policies for both America and for the countries of the Middle East. We seek to advance the interests of Middle Eastern Americans through our expert research and analysis, civic and policy education, and solid community building.