Following a number of academic and ecclesiastical conferences in various Arab countries on the situation and fate of the Christians of the Near East, it was only normal for Beirut to sponsor political discussions on this issue. On Nov. 2-3, on the invitation of the Lebanese Christian Gathering, around 45 Christian political figures gathered from across the six countries of the Near East — Jordan, Egypt, Palestine, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon — to discuss the plight of Christians in their countries, the imminent threats facing them, and the ways to jointly fend them off. Al-Monitor’s correspondent was in attendance. Although a large number of similar conferences have been held, the one in Beirut last week constituted a significant milestone on many levels.

First of all, participants were politicians who combine two characteristics: they represent Christian groups in their respective countries and they are involved in the political regimes of these countries. The participants included  government  ministers, former and current members of parliament, as well as human rights activists, politicians and members of civil society.

Second, the presence of a large number of ambassadors and representatives of diplomatic delegations — notably Western ones — in Beirut was remarkable. Over more than two hours, diplomats wrote down notes on the accounts of the Christian delegations regarding the struggle of their groups. None of the invited diplomats asked any questions or sought clarification. The organizers of the conference, however, believed that the aim of their invitation was achieved. “We wanted them to listen to accounts from representatives of Christians on the plight of these groups in the region, and this is what happened,” one of the conference organizers told Al-Monitor.

Third, an important characteristic of the event was the formation of an organizational framework joining the six countries, which was an unprecedented step. Under the name of “The Gathering of Christians of the Near East,” the participants agreed to form a permanent committee to join them together and coordinate their causes. The committee will periodically meet to follow up on their recommendations and work plans.