At the initiative of Ambassador Veuthey, a celebration for the 10th Anniversary of the Joint Declaration of Religious Leaders Against Human Trafficking took place on Monday, December 2nd, 2024, at the Church of St. Nicolas de Flüe in Geneva. The event included a Holy Mass at 18:00, the reaffirmation of the Joint Declaration at 18:30, and a reception at 19:15. Speakers included:
- H.E. Archbishop Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo, Chancellor Emeritus of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, moderated the event and made a statement on human trafficking.
- Bishop Emeritus Alastair Redfern, former leader of the Church of England’s anti-slavery efforts, shared insights into the Church of England’s work and the founding of the Santa Marta Group.
- Monsignor Riyyan Chaves Mendoza, Deputy Permanent Observer at the Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations Office, gave the lecture of the 2014 Joint Declaration.
- Mr. Kevin Hyland, OBE, former Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner for the UK, Chief Executive of PRAEVENI GLOBAL, Strategy Director of Santa Marta Group, discussed his work with the Santa Marta Group and PRAEVENI GLOBAL, focusing on the urgent need to significantly increase resources (financial and human) to combat human trafficking.
- Mrs. Frédérique Seidel, Programme Executive for Child Rights at the World Council of Churches (WCC), highlighted the WCC’s efforts to combat child trafficking in collaboration with UNICEF.
- Father Jeff Bayhi and Father Chuck Swanson, Directors of Metanoia, a shelter fort rafficked girls in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, spoke about their work supporting victims and survivors of trafficking.
- Reverend Glen Ruffle,Representative of the Anglican Communion to the United Nations in Geneva, discussed the work of faith-based organizations against human trafficking in Geneva.
- H.E. Michel Veuthey, Ambassador of the Sovereign Order of Malta, concluded the event by reflecting on the Order’s efforts to combat human trafficking. He expressed his gratitude to the speakers, participants, as well as to the Parish of St. John XXIII for their hospitality.
The event reaffirmed the collective and ongoing commitment of religious communities to combat human trafficking. The event underscored the continued importance of interfaith and cross-sector cooperation in addressing the scourge of human trafficking. It highlighted the moral and practical approaches needed to prevent, combat, and eradicate modern slavery.
The complete recorded event2 are available online while the 2014 Joint Declaration of Religious Leaders against Human Trafficking is below:
“We, the undersigned, are gathered here today for a historical initiative to inspire spiritual and practical action by all global faiths and people of good will everywhere to eradicate modern slavery across the world by 2020 and for all time.
In the eyes of God each human being is a free person, whether girl, boy, woman or man, and is destined to exist for the good of all in equality and fraternity. Modern slavery, in terms of human trafficking, forced labor and prostitution, organ trafficking, and any relationship that fails to respect the fundamental conviction that all people are equal and have the same freedom and dignity, is a crime against humanity.
We pledge ourselves here today to do all in our power, within our faith communities and beyond to work together for the freedom of all those who are enslaved and trafficked so that their future may be restored. Today we have the opportunity, awareness, wisdom, innovation and technology to achieve this human and moral imperative.”
