We Pray that World Leaders Will Speak Out Specifically Against Genocidal Violence Against 327 Million Christians Worldwide
WASHINGTON—The 75th session of the UNGA opened Sept. 15, with the first day of the high-level General Debate beginning Tuesday, September 22nd. In attendance, either live or virtually, are representatives of scores of nations whose governments either persecute Christians or tolerate those who do. As talks progress, Save the Persecuted Christians (STPC), a leading international human rights advocacy group which advocates on behalf of hundreds of millions of persecuted Christians worldwide, is calling on the world’s leaders and their representatives to put these persecutors of Christians on notice that their actions are seen and that they will be held accountable for their crimes against humanity.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric stated that no heads of state were expected to be in attendance in New York this year because of the pandemic. President Donald Trump, who initially indicated that he would be delivering his speech in person, is now stating that he won’t attend the UN General Assembly Meeting due to COVID-19 and will instead be submitting his remarks via video. As the host of the UNGA, he is slated to have the first speaker slot.
Dede Laugesen, Executive Director of Save the Persecuted Christians, said, “We hope that Kelly Craft, the US Representative to the United Nations, will shed light on Christian persecution that is happening worldwide, and that other countries participating in the UN General Assembly will engage in dialogue about the topic of Christian persecution.
“With a few well-chosen words, speakers may be able to affect materially the behavior of such states and the plight of the Christians who suffer at their hands,” Laugesen continued. “Our hope is to elevate the issue of Christian persecution and threats to religious liberty around the globe.”
WHO: In attendance, either live or virtually, will be representatives—heads of state and leaders of UN member Nations, including scores of nations whose governments either persecute Christians or tolerate those who do. [In a change from all previous years, this year’s assembly is mostly virtual, with seating available for only one or two officials per U.N. member state, whereas in previous years there were six. No heads of state were expected to be in attendance in New York this year because of the pandemic.]
WHAT: The 75th United Nations General Assembly
WHEN: The first day of the high-level General Debate is Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020. The
General debate will be ongoing from September 22-26 and on September 29, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (New York time).
WHERE: The Assembly will be held at UN Headquarters in New York City, and will be mostly virtual this year, due to the Pandemic.
WHY: To bring awareness to and “to elevate the issue of Christian persecution and threats to religious liberty around the globe,” says STPC’s Dede Laugesen.
HOW: Live streaming available at webtv.un.org
Save the Persecuted Christians is working to raise awareness about the plight of over 300 million Christians facing brutal and extreme violence and injustice in countries around the world. The organization — an informal, national coalition — began in February 2018 and reorganized as a formal charitable organization in December 2018.
The mission of Save the Persecuted Christians is to save lives and save souls by disseminating actionable information about the magnitude of the persecution taking place globally and by mobilizing concerned Americans for the purpose of disincentivizing further attacks on those who follow Jesus.
With so much of the world’s Christian population being imprisoned and/or harassed for their beliefs, such as Christians in the Middle East, Nigeria, China and India, the need has never been greater for the sort of grassroots campaign STPC’s SaveUs Movement is working to foster. Its efforts are modeled after a miraculously successful one that helped free another population suffering from heavy persecution—Soviet Jews—by penalizing those in the Kremlin responsible for such repression. Through this movement, Save the Persecuted Christians endeavors to provide American policymakers with the popular support they need to effect real change worldwide and alleviate systemically the suffering being experienced by so many of those following Christ.