Charlie Kirk’s widow to accept public diplomacy award on his behalf at Jerusalem summit

Erika Kirk, the widow of assassinated US conservative activist and Israel supporter Charlie Kirk, will accept an award on his behalf at the Christian Media Summit in Jerusalem this week, the Government Press Office says in a statement.

Israel is hosting over 100 influential Christian figures for the event, which includes an award ceremony honoring some participants for their “exceptional contribution” to Israeli public diplomacy worldwide, according to the GPO, which is organizing the four-day summit alongside the Foreign Ministry and the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.

“Over 100 representatives of leading Christian media outlets, opinion leaders, religious figures, and heads of organizations from various countries” are expected to attend, the GPO says, adding that the summit aims “to deepen understanding of Israeli society, confront the phenomenon of antisemitism on social networks, and present Israel as an innovative, diverse, and open nation.”

Four months before he was assassinated during an appearance at a US college campus in September, Kirk wrote a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticizing Israel’s efforts on social media, recommending ways for Israel to improve its public diplomacy, and offering to meet with the premier on the matter.

The summit comes as conservatives in the US are embroiled in a debate over antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment in their movement.