On the 22^nd September, 2016, the Missing Person’s Families Support Centre in Lithuania held an unveiling ceremony of a specially commissioned sculpture in memory of missing children, entitled Mother…!
The sculpture is situated in a popular area of Vilnius, near the centre of Lithuanian children and youth and encourages society to pay attention to this important problem.
The idea for the sculpture came from the mother of a missing boy. She called on other parents to spend more time with their children.
For full report, please click here…

23 year old Nadia Murad Bashee Taha, a courageous young Yazidi woman, who survived sexual enslavement by ISIS militants, bravely testified in December 2015 at the first-ever UN Security Council’s session on human trafficking.
Officially nominated by Iraq in January 2016, for a Nobel Peace prize in recognition of her tireless and courageous activism on behalf of Yazidi women, on the 17^th of September 2016, Nadia was named the UN Goodwill Ambassador for the Dignity of Survivors of Human Trafficking, because of her efforts to bring attention to the plight of thousands of girls and women held by ISIS militants.
To read about Nadia’s story, please see ‘’A Mighty Girl’’ on RENATE’s FaceBook page or visit
https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/2016/September/human-trafficking-survivor-nadia-murad-named-unodc-goodwill-ambassador.html
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-37384324
http://time.com/4496933/nadia-murad-united-nations-goodwill-ambassador/
http://time.com/4152127/isis-yezidi-woman-slavery-united-nations/
www.eslkevin.wordpress.com
Adapted by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications.

RENATE looks forward to the possibilities for internationally progressing the work against human trafficking, as efforts against human trafficking gain prominence in recent months in both the United Kingdom and the United States.
In living up to her commitments to end human trafficking, British Prime Minister, Theresa May has assigned considerable resources to ensure traffickers find decreased possibilities for their crimes.
In the United States, the Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, has published her own anti-slavery strategy entitled, “Here’s How I Intend to End Slavery, ” calling upon a survivor of human trafficking Ima Matul Maisaroh, who gave a headline speech at the Democratic national Convention in Philadelphia, in which she shared her experience of being trafficked from Indonesia into domestic servitude in Los Angeles.
To read the full report please click here….

The complexity of human mobility in the Western-Balkans was central to a workshop convened by the OSCE, targeting policy-makers, criminal justice  and migration practitioners and other relevant stakeholders from the public and private sectors working in the areas of prevention, prosecution and assistance to trafficking-in-persons victims, migrants and refugees.
Political context, impact of border control measures, access to asylum, risk analysis and challenges of irregular migration flows were critical to the interactive discussions held in Podgorica, Montenegro, 31^st August- 1^st September, 2016.
The protection of human rights and the need for improvement in identifying victims of trafficking during mass migrations movements and times of crisis, were amongst agreed priorities arising from the workshop.
Please click here for the full report prepared by Gazmir Memaj and Sara Ҫapaliku.
renate-europe.net
www.albaniahope.com
Adapted by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications.

One hundred and fifty international delegates working in various ways to prevent human trafficking and support those who have fallen victim to human trafficking, attended the conference held at the Daughters of Divine Love Retreat and Conference centre (DRACC) near Abuja, Nigeria. The purpose of the conference was to raise awareness about trafficking among people within and from Africa, with a special focus on the trafficking of children, trafficking for labour and sexual exploitation, trafficking in crisis situations and trafficking in the maritime industry.
RENATE was represented by Sr. Monica Chickwe and Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications, who present a report on their attendance as follows:

Please click here to read it….

Professor Kevin Bales, the world’s leading expert on contemporary slavery, Professor Zoe Trodd, together with contributions from a team of scholars and experts, will offer this online course, which will run over a period of four (4) weeks, and is offered free of charge. Registration and information is available in the attached, with the course set to commence on the 17th of October.

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/arts/news-events/ending-slavery.aspx

RENATE was represented at an International Conference on Human Trafficking Within and From Africa, 5-7 September, 2016, co-organised by Caritas Internationalis and the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral care of Migrants and Itinerant People. Caritas Nigeria hosted the Conference which was held at the Daughters of Divine Love Retreat and Conference Centre (DRACC), at New Lugbe in thhe Abuja Municipality.
Tune in to hear an interview with Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications, at the Conference.
http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/09/08/nigeria_conferenc

RENATE extends its warmest wishes to the Missionaries of Charity on the Canonisation of Venerable Mother Teresa, due to take place at the Vatican on the 4^th of September, 2016.
A photo of Mother Teresa with a burning candle at Mother Teresa’s tomb at the headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata. (GSR photo / Julian S. Das)

The theme of the 31st World Youth Day, Krakow 2016 was “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Mt 5:7).

This was my first time at WYD, and I hadn’t known what to expect. I was so happy to meet people from all over the world and to share with them some information about RENATE and human trafficking. My only expectation was to find the English or German speaking groups. News reports had predicted that there would be around two million people attending the events, but still I couldn’t imagine what such a crowd would be like. Please click here for more information…

On the 1^st of September, Pope Francis launched the Season of Creation by celebrating the World Day of Prayer for Creation with a message  urging Catholics to view care for creation among the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.
Officially placed on the Catholic liturgical calendar by Pope Francis in 2015, the Season of Creation is a month-long prayerful observation of the state of the world, its beauty and the ecological crises that threaten it and all its inhabitants.
Because of continuing climate change, vast numbers of peoples are displaced annually, with thousands having to depend on others for their welfare and very existence. Many fall victim to being exploited for labour purposes. Countless others fall prey to human traffickers, who offer false hopes of better life-opportunities in the northern hemisphere.
A number of websites offer opportunities to help us connect together as a global community, to make a difference and take action for Creation, as follows:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19v0A19DDXs  to view the Pope’s invitation to prayer.
Additionally, log on to the Season of Creation website, http://seasonofcreation.org/ to access resources and gain ideas for organising a Prayer Service and other activities.
Pope Francis letter is available at http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/letters/2015/documents/papa-francesco_20150806_lettera-giornata-cura-creato.html
Throughout the month, the various activities worldwide, will be posted to a FaceBook events page, which is accessible at https://www.facebook.com/events/1784015521738513/
Prepared by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications.