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2022 Assembly

 

Mary Ward Loreto & URAT Anti-Trafficking Awareness-Raising Project in Albania

 

MWL and URAT Project in AlbaniaSince 2014, the New Project URAT in Albania, has led more than forty awareness-raising training seminars on human trafficking. Managed and funded by the NGO Mary Ward Loreto in Albania, the project is a collaboration with several other organisations present in Albania, e.g. the Peace Corps, the NGO Different and Equal, the IRCA (Institute of Romani Culture in Albania) and De Nobi Te Gruas Shqiptare. The project focused primarily on those who are socially and economically marginalised, the most vulnerable in Albania, who need protection against different forms of exploitation, including human trafficking.
A full report on the project is available at www.albaniahope.com

BBC Journalist Michael Buchanan Reports on Human Trafficking in Slovakia

 

A report from the Centre for Social Justice in the UK, has called on the government to increase cross-border police operations in order to address the problem of increased human trafficking.
BBC Journalist Michael Buchanan meets with staff at the SKCH officesThe European Union’s open borders policy has provided increased opportunities for trafficking of people, which has become a very profitable business.
Michael Buchanan’s report gives an insight into the situation in eastern Slovakia, when he recently visited and met with the staff who work at Caritas Slovakia. This report is available at http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-32407812

Black Tears Exhibition in London, 23rd – 26th April 2015

 

Black Tears Project
Black Tears Project

Fundacion de Solidaridad Amaranta, Spain and member of RENATE, is pleased to announce that the art exhibition entitled ‘’The Black Tears,’’ will be held at The Other Art Fair, at Victoria House, Southampton Row, London, WC1B 4DA.
The objective of the Black Tears Project is to raise social awareness and funds for two organisations: Proyecto Esperanza which combats human trafficking in Spain and Amaranta Foundation which combats sexual slavery of women and girls in Asia (Siliguri, India).
Since June 2013, the Black Tears Project has brought together 2,245 women across 46 countries to create one monumental tapestry. Following 8980 working hours of stitching and sewing, the completed tapestry will now be exhibited internationally and will be  launched in the UK, at The Other Art Fair, this April.
At the nucleus of the tapestry lies a woman curled up on a bench, her heart ‘stopped by grief’. She is surrounded by hundreds of blue sewn canvases, each 15x15cm square; a product of meticulous care and skill from women across the world. These canvases (‘tears’) appear to multiply and spread, to create a magnificent spectacle and an artwork measuring 14mx2m.
Nucleus of the tapestry - woman curled up on a bench
Nucleus of the tapestry – woman curled up on a bench

The tapestry will be auctioned in June 2015 to support both these organisations.
The Other Art Fair provides an opportunity to get exposure to a large number of people, with the Fair being publicised in the print media such as The Times, The Guardian, The Telegraph, Time Out and many more publications.
In addition, partners of The Other Art Fair include; International New York Times, Elephant Magazine, Fever Tree, STATE magazine, Modern Painters, Aesthetica, Cass Art, Art Below, The Conran Shop, FAD, Club Monaco, The May Fair Hotel, TOMS Shoes, Art Fund, Polaroid, Jotta, Culture Label, Sipsmith, The Breakfast Club.
For information, please see:
http://arteyconcienciacionsocial.com/en/eventos.html
https://www.facebook.com/blacktearsproject
 
Prepared by Anne Kelleher,
RENATE Communications Person

Prevention against Trafficking, Good Practice in Slovakia

 

The Presentation Sisters opened a Centre in 2004 which includes a Pre-school. This clip shows Sr. Anne collecting children from the outlying Roma settlements 3km from the town and providing transport for them to attend the Pre-school. This is done because the Municipality of the town of Spišské Podhradie is not willing to provide transport.
Link to the video: Na 5 minút s nami: Iná škôlka

EU Pledges Swift Action on Humanitarian Crisis in the Mediterranean Sea

 

Pope Francis blessing‘’They are men and women like us , our brothers seeking a better life, starving, persecuted, wounded, exploited, victims of war. They were looking for a better life.’’ Pope Francis, 19-04-2015
Pope Francis expressed his heartfelt pain at the latest tragedy to befall migrants fleeing war and persecution. The boat carrying several hundred migrants capsised off the coast of Libya.  This is but one of worst disasters seen in the Mediterranean migrant crisis. By lunch time on the 20th of April, a second boat ran aground off the coast of the Greek island of Rhodes, with the subsequent deaths of numerous migrants.
Read more…
Since the start of 2014, nearly 200,000 people have been rescued at sea by Italy. All the EU countries are being called to respond more actively to help rescue and shelter migrants, desperate to escape war, persecution and poverty.
This emergency situation in the Mediterranean was placed at the top of the agenda of yesterday   morning’s previously scheduled meeting of European Foreign Ministers, in Luxembourg, with Ministers observing a minute’s silence in prayer for those affected by the tragic drownings over both the weekend and Monday.
The Italian and Maltese Foreign Ministers made impassioned pleas to member States for greater solidarity in the provision of humanitarian aid and not to simply leave it to one or two countries. They called for greater resourcing of the Triton Initiative – funds, boats, helicopters and personnel.
At the heart of the matter is the problem of illegal trafficking of people. The exploitation of people fleeing for their lives, become ‘prey’ to traffickers. All of which poses the challenge for Justice Departments to address adequately the criminal activities of traffickers.
The European Union is due to publish a new Migration Strategy paper in May 2015, to address would-be migrants at their country of origin.

Migrants on the ship
Migrants on the ship, photo by Associated Press

Arising from an urgently convened meeting of all European Justice and Home Affairs Ministers last evening, the European Union has devised a 10-point Plan which it is hoped will help to try to find ways to address this crisis
Some of the proposed plans to be considered at a special meeting of the European Council on the 23rd April, include:

  • Provision of additional funds for search & recovery;
  • Reinforcement of E U border control operations in the Mediterranean;
  • Systematic efforts to capture and destroy vessels used by smugglers;
  • Create a new programme of ‘’Rapid return’’ of migrants to their mother country;
  • Develop a pilot programme to share re-settlement of migrants amongst the all EU Member States;

‘’What happened off the coast of Italy, what happens every day at the southern border of Europe, is unacceptable for a union that was built on the principles of solidarity, respect for human rights and dignity for all…We need to fight the trafficking of human beings… ‘’
(EU Foreign Policy Chief, Federica Mogherini – 20th April, 2015).
RENATE offers prayers that the European partners collaborate to act swiftly to stop the trafficking of people across the Mediterranean and create long-lasting measures which will put an end to war and strife, which cause so many to flee in search of safety and a better life.
Compiled by Anne Kelleher
RENATE Communications Person

International Day of Remembrance for Victims of Transatlantic Slave Trade

 

International Day of Remembrance for Victims of Slavery and Transatlantic SlaveTrade
Remember Slavery
 
Every year on the 25th of March, the world honours and remembers the victims of slavery and especially those victims of the transatlantic slave trade.
In previous years, themes centred on “Remembrance”, “Celebrating Emancipation”, “Culture” and more. In 2015, the theme will be “Women and Slavery” with tribute being paid to both the enslaved women who endured forced labour and exploitation, and the women who subsequently overcame slavery and abuse, to become leaders in the modern world.
This year is particularly special as a Permanent Memorial in honour of the victims of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade will be unveiled at the United Nations Visitor Plaza in New York, as a reminder to the world to remember and reflect upon the legacy of the slave trade and to fight against racism and prejudice as they occur in modern times.
The permanent Memorial is entitled “Ark of Return: Lest We Forget” created by Mr. Rodney Leon, an American of Haitian descent who explained his design as follows: “The Ark of Return is a symbolic spiritual space and object where one can interact and pass through for acknowledgement, contemplation, meditation, reflection, healing, education and transformation.’’
In 2013, at the announcement of the winning design, Ms. Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-General stated “The slave trade is not merely a thing of the past – it has shaped the world we live in, it has moulded the face of modern societies, creating indissoluble ties between people, irreversibly transforming economies, cultures and customs across the world. The slave trade concerns not only people of African descent but the whole of humanity.”
The permanent Memorial is intended to be a reminder to future generations of the importance of remembering and learning from the past. It will help us appreciate the importance of understanding history and the consequences of slavery. In addition, it will act as an educational resource, raising awareness about the dangers of racism, prejudice and their impact on society.
During the week commencing 23rd March, 2015, a series of events are taking place worldwide, to include cultural events at the United Nations General Assembly Building.
For more information, please see: www.un.org/slaveryremembranceday/2015
To watch the unveiling ceremony of The Ark of Return, please log onto: UN WEB TV

 
Anne Kelleher
RENATE Communications Person

 

 

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