Program: Ukraine and Religious Freedom

Venue: 1777 F St, NW, Washington, DC

8:45 AM – 9:15 AM Registration

9:15 AM – 9:30 AM Opening Word

Remarks:

• Valeriy Chaliy [Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States] [Invited]

9:30 AM – 10:00 AM Highlight Focus Session I

Theme: Ukraine”s Record on the Religious Freedom Issue-The UA Government Perspective

Chair:

• David Kramer [McCain Institute Senior Director For Human Rights and Democracy

Featured Speaker:

• Andriy Yurash [Head/Dept. of Religious Affairs & Nationalities/Ministry of Culture of Ukraine]

10:00 AM – 12:10 PM Roundtable Panel Discussion I

Theme: Assessments of the Present State of Religious Freedom in Ukraine by Representatives of the Country”s Major Faith Based Communities

Chair:

• Roman Popadiuk [Chairman of the World Affairs Councils of America]

Panelists:

• Archbishop Yestratij [Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyiv Patriarchy]
• Rev. Iurii Kovalenko [Open Orthodox University & Former Press Secretary/UOC–MP]
• Rev. Ihor Shaban [Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church]
• Bishop Vitalii Skomarovskyi [Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine]
• Pastor Valerii Antoniuk [Baptist Congregations in Ukraine]
• Bishop Mykhailo Panochko [Pentecostal Congregations in Ukraine]
• Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Yaakov Bleich [Jewish Faithful in Ukraine]
• Ayder Bey Bulatov [Islamic Faithful in Ukraine and RU Occupied Crimea]

Lead Discussant:

• Liudmila Fylypovych [National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine]

12:10 PM – 12:30 PM Lunch [Press Interviews]

12:30 PM – 1:00 PM Highlight Focus Session II

Theme: Ukraine”s Record on the Religious Freedom Issue-The US Gov”t Perspective

Chair:

• William Miller [Senior Fellow/Woodrow Wilson International Center]

Featured Speaker:

• Tom Malinowski [Asst. Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights & Labor] [Invited]

1:00 PM – 3:10 PM Roundtable Panel Discussion II

Theme: Recommendations for Optimizing the “Spirit of Interfaith Cooperation” in Ukraine from Representatives of the Country”s Major Faith Based Communities

Chair:

• Ariel Cohen [Senior Fellow/Atlantic Council]

Panelists:

• Archbishop Yestratij [Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyiv Patriarchy]
• Rev. Iurii Kovalenko [Open Orthodox University & Former Press Secretary/UOC–MP]
• Rev. Ihor Shaban [Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church]
• Bishop Vitalii Skomarovskyi [Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine]
• Pastor Valerii Antoniuk [Baptist Congregations in Ukraine]
• Bishop Mykhailo Panochko [Pentecostal Congregations in Ukraine]
• Chief Rabbi of Ukraine Yaakov Bleich [Jewish Faithful in Ukraine]
• Ayder Bey Bulatov [Islamic Faithful in Ukraine and RU Occupied Crimea]

Lead Discussant:

• Liudmila Fylypovych [National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine]

3:10 PM – 4:00 PM Highlight Session Focus Session III

Theme: Divining the Future of Religious Tolerance & Interfaith Dialogue in Ukraine

Chair:

• Bohdan Futey [Senior Judge/US Court of Federal Claims]

Featured Speakers:

• Rev. Roman Zaviyskyy [Dean of the Philosophy & Theology Faculty/Ukrainian Catholic University]
• Eugene Czolij [President of the Ukrainian World Congress] [Invited]

4:00 PM – 4:30 PM Last Word

Remarks:

• Rep. Andrew Harris (R-MD)

5:30 PM – 7:30 PM Patrons” Reception

Venue: American Foreign Policy Council, 509 C Street, NE, Washington DC

Host:

• UA Quest RT Series Steering Committee