WORLD DAY OF PRAYER AND REFLECTION AGAINST TRAFFICKING
Walking for dignity safe from exploitation
With his characteristic mercy, Pope Francis, on 8 February 2015, wanted the Catholic Church to remember Bakhita as a universal symbol of the fight against trafficking. She was the first Sudanese saint who, as a child, had the dramatic experience of being kidnapped and made a slave. Her vicissitudes led her to Italy, where she consecrated herself to God as a Canossian nun.
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The scourge of human trafficking for the purpose of labour or sexual exploitation, for begging or for the sale of organs is not relegated to the past. Even today, many people, generally belonging to the poorer classes, especially women and children from the countries of the global south, are enslaved and exploited as if they were not human beings and had no right to a dignified life. “In 2022, we have seen the aggravation of crisis situations and the exacerbation of the consequences of the pandemic in social life”, explain the initiators of the international network Thalità kum founded at the International Union of Superiors General. “In this context, trafficked persons and groups at risk have increased, particularly in the indoor prostitution industry and in various forms of exploitation on the web. Among the causes are the exploitation of vulnerabilities in countries with greater political instability due to armed conflicts, violence against women, climatic-environmental and economic crises and also insufficient laws to protect migrants, easy prey for traffickers” (Source: Walking for Human Dignity Document).
Man, you have been taught what is good and what the Lord requires of you:
to practise righteousness, to love mercy, to walk humbly with your God. – Micah 6:8
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“The 9th Edition of the World Day of Prayer and Reflection against Trafficking is an invitation to walk with migrant populations, as pilgrims of human dignity, pilgrims of hope, together, young people, adults and children, people of different religious traditions, different cultures and ages. Together in search of the gift that each person is, against all forms of exploitation and human trafficking” (Source: document CAMMINARE PER LA DIGNITA’).
"The steps, the journey, the shared path, between those committed to defeating trafficking and those who are its victims or survivors. All this is at the heart of this Day that will see thousands of people around the world - in many parishes, communities, groups - come together, reflect, pray and send a message to the world against this global phenomenon."
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The initiative is coordinated by Talitha Kum, the international anti-trafficking network of more than 3,000 sisters, friends and partners, promoted by the Unions of Superiors and Superiors General, in partnership with the Dicastery for the Service of Integral Human Development, the Dicastery of Communication, the Pope’s World Prayer Network and many other organisations, associations and congregations worldwide. The Day has the support of the Global Solidarity Fund. “This year for the first time since its inception 15 young representatives of the Day’s network will arrive in Rome from all continents for a week of meeting and training on human trafficking. At the end of the week the group will launch an appeal with which they will start the preparation of the 10th anniversary of the Day.”
PARTICIPATE AND SPREAD THE PILGRIMAGE ONLINE
“WALKING FOR DIGNITY”:
ALL CONTINENTS UNITE IN PRAYER.
WEDNESDAY 8 FEBRUARY
The pilgrimage will start at 9.30 a.m. CET time and, crossing the different time zones, will involve all the continents. It will start in Oceania, then travel to Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, South America, and close at 16:30 CET time in North America. The event will be streamed live in 5 languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian) on www.prayagainsttrafficking.net. Participants in the online pilgrimage come from over 30 countries on all continents. They will be youth and adults, women and men, lay and religious, survivors, activists, creative people. All united against trafficking.
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