Office of the Spokesperson
Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback is on travel to Vatican City and Istanbul, Turkey, January 14-18.
Ambassador Brownback will begin his trip in Rome and Vatican City, January 14-16, where he will participate in the launch of the Abrahamic Faiths Initiative, a dialogue led and organized by religious leaders of three Abrahamic faith traditions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, working together to emphasize the peaceful expression of faith and the renunciation of violence. This dialogue, the first of many, seeks to foster mutual respect, tolerance, and understanding between the Abrahamic faith traditions in the quest for greater religious freedom, stability and peace around the world.
Ambassador Brownback will then visit Istanbul, Turkey on January 16, where he will meet with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, to discuss religious freedom issues. Ambassador Brownback will also visit important religious sites in Istanbul and surrounding areas.
To keep up with Ambassador Brownback’s travel, follow @IRF_Ambassador on Twitter and use the hashtag #AFIRome2020 for updates. For more information, please contact Aaron Bruce at BruceA2@state.gov or IRFpress@state.gov.