By Daoud Kuttab

Jordanian lawmakers and a leading interfaith researcher used the 33rd General Assembly of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (IAO), taking place June 17–21, 2026, to call for renewed efforts to protect Christian communities and to advance interfaith dialogue amid growing global tensions.

The event gathers parliamentary, political, and ecclesiastical leaders from around the world to discuss Orthodox cultural heritage and contemporary dialogue on human rights and peaceful relations. According to information shared about the event, it is being hosted in Helsinki, Finland, with participation by IAO representatives from 11 or more countries, including Jordan.

In remarks delivered on behalf of the Jordanian delegation, MP Hayel Ayyash, who represents Christians from Zarqa in Jordan’s parliament, said the Christian presence in the Middle East faces mounting pressure as political, economic, and security instability affects societies across the region. “These challenges have impacted all segments of their societies, most notably the Christian communities,” Ayyash said, adding that Christians “have been and remain an integral part of the cultural, civilizational, and human fabric of the Middle East.”

Ayyash said Arab Christians have historically contributed to the region’s intellectual, scientific, and cultural development, while also promoting civic values such as openness and pluralism. He said Jordan’s experience shows that religious coexistence can be sustained through inclusive governance. “Jordan stands out as a model of coexistence and respect for religious diversity, where citizenship forms the basis of rights and duties for all citizens without discrimination,” he said.

The MP also highlighted the Kingdom’s role in safeguarding religious sites, noting Jordan’s longstanding position as a protector of holy places in Jerusalem for both Muslims and Christians. “It is keen to highlight the Kingdom’s experience in Muslim-Christian coexistence,” Ayyash said, referencing the “Hashemite role in protecting Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem.”

Ayyash urged the international community to support conditions that enable Christians to remain in their homelands and participate fully in national life. “To call for providing the political, economic, and security conditions that enable Christians to remain in their homelands and participate in building the nation,” he said.

At the same gathering, Dr. Tagreed Odeh, director of the Royal Institute for Inter-religious Studies, framed the conference as both intellectual and humanitarian amid rising exclusionary rhetoric and crises affecting vulnerable communities. “Our meeting today is not merely an academic occasion, but a moment of conscience,” Odeh said.

She argued that defending pluralism is a responsibility rather than a sectarian choice, and said the institute—established in 1994 under the leadership of Prince Hassan bin Talal—has sought to advance dialogue and dismantle stereotypes. “We affirm that protecting pluralism is not a sectarian choice, but a responsibility,” Odeh said.

Odeh warned that displacement threatens the stability of Christian communities and the broader cultural and spiritual identity of the region. “The phenomenon of displacement… threatens their stability,” she said.

She also described ongoing humanitarian suffering connected to religious communities and said the moral imperative is to protect human dignity. “Compassion is a practical responsibility that transcends mere feeling,” Odeh said.

The conference leadership includes Mr. Ioan Vulpescu of the Romanian Parliament as president and Dr. Maximos Charakopoulos of the Hellenic Parliament as secretary general. Event preparation, according to the provided details, is coordinated with the Parliament of Finland and the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Finland.