Keynote Speakers

Dr. Os Guinness is a writer and speaker living in Northern Virginia. He was born in China during World War II, where he remained until 1951 when the Communists forced most foreigners to leave. Since then he has lived mostly in England, Switzerland, and the United States. Educated in England, he did undergraduate studies at the University of London, and postgraduate studies at University of Oxford where he graduated with a D.Phil in the social sciences from Oriel College. He has written or edited more than twenty books, including The American Hour, The Call, and Time for Truth. His deep concern is to bridge the chasm between academic knowledge and popular knowledge, taking things that are academically important and making them practicable to a wider audience.

Joni Eareckson Tada became a quadriplegic as a result of a diving accident in 1967. During two years of rehabilitation, she spent long months learning how to paint with a brush between her teeth. Her high-detail, fine art paintings and prints are sought after and collected. Due to her best-selling books, beginning with her autobiography, Joni, as well as having visited 35 countries, Joni's first name is recognized around the world. The full-length feature film, JONI, in which Mrs. Tada recreated her own life, is shown around the world. Mrs. Tada's role as a disability advocate led to a presidential appointment to the National Council on Disability for over three years, while the Americans with Disabilities Act became law. Joni and Friends was founded by Mrs. Tada in 1979 and has grown into four flagship programs.

Ajith Fernando's mother converted to Christianity in her teens and led all her children to Christ. Ajith became involved in Youth for Christ (YFC) in his teens and joined YFC as National Director soon after theological studies. He has had that job since 1976 and his present role in YFC is primarily one of teaching, encouraging and mentoring staff and preaching and teaching among the wider body of YFC. He continues to keep in touch with the grassroots in YFC and in his church. He attends a small Methodist Sinhala language congregation, which his wife and he helped restart. In YFC, he also presently supervises the drug rehab work. His writing and international preaching ministry is done as a missionary outreach of YFC.

Gary Haugen, President and CEO of the International Justice Mission and author of Good News about Injustice, is a graduate of Harvard University and the University of Chicago Law School. Mr. Haugen worked as a trial attorney with the Police Misconduct Task Force of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Dept. of Justice. In 1994, Mr. Haugen was seconded to the United Nations to serve as the Officer In Charge of the UN's genocide investigation in Rwanda. Mr. Haugen previously worked for the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, and has published numerous popular and scholarly works on international law and human rights.

Lord David Alton of Liverpool, is a member of the British House of Lords and a tireless advocate for the persecuted church. Lord Alton served 18 years in the British House of Commons before being appointed to the House of Lords in 1998. The author of numerous books and articles, he is currently the Professor of Citizenship at Liverpool's John Moores University and a Visiting Fellow of St. Andrews University in Scotland. In 1987, Lord Alton co-founded Jubilee Campaign in the British Parliament.

Lady Justice Julia Sebutinde was appointed to the Uganda Supreme Court in 1996, after an extensive legal practice lasting over 25 years. The President of Uganda has appointed Justice Sebutinde to serve as the Head of four Judicial Commissions of Inquiry addressing corruption in various governmental institutions. She has been active in human rights advocacy and the integration of faith and profession. Justice Sebutinde received her law degree from Makerere University Kampala (Uganda), a Master of Law from the University of Edinburgh (Scotland) and training at the National Judicial College, University of Nevada, Reno. She and her husband John Sebutinde have two children.

Samuel Ericsson is President of Advocates International, a network promoting justice, reconciliation and human rights, particularly the freedom of conscience and religion. An immigrant from Sweden, he graduated from the University of Southern California and Harvard Law School. During the 1970's he was a partner with Overton, Lyman and Prince in Los Angeles. He founded Advocates International in 1992 as a vehicle to encourage, enable and equip judges, lawyers, parliamentarians, clergy and other leaders to promote "equal justice under law." Advocates seeks implementation of the Golden Rule principle whereby majority faiths treat minority faiths with the same care and respect the majority desires for itself.

John and Susan Yates have been married since 1969 and speak together at Family Life's "Weekend to Remember Marriage" conferences throughout the country. Susan is the author of nine books and a regular contributor for Today's Christian Woman Magazine. John Yates has served as Rector of The Falls Church in Falls Church, Virginia. In addition he has written several books, including How a Man Prays for His Family. They have co-authored What Really Matters At Home - Eight Crucial Elements for Building Character in Your Family.