Istanbul terror attack survivor and church leader to discuss the deeper meaning of his experience at Aug 19 Newsmaker

United Methodist Church leader Thomas Kemper, who was in Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport when terrorists killed 40 people, will share his experience of that event and the aftermath at a National Press Club Newsmaker news conference at 10 a.m. Fri., Aug. 19, in the club’s Murrow Room.

Kemper is the general secretary of the general board of Global Ministries, the international mission agency of the United Methodist Church, which has operations and partners in more than 125 countries. As a result of witnessing this terrorist attack, he has been inspired to bring together people and bridge the distrust of others, and encourage his organization and his church to follow that same direction with the goal of leading humanity to a more peaceful world.

“Our presence in Istanbul was not a political act,” he wrote in a CNN opinion post. “We were there as humans, and we felt that we all wanted to live. We all wanted to have a future, and we all wanted to see our families again.”

As with all Newsmaker events, this news conference is open to credentialed media and Press Club members, free of charge. No advance registration is required.

Contact newsmaker event host David Hodes, 202-596-5037, [email protected]