Airline Ambassadors was proud to have one of our top trainers Donna Hubbard present at the United Nations Conference  coordinated by the Holy See and the Santa Marta Group “Ending Human Trafficking by 2030″ – the Role of global Partnerships in Eradicating Modern Slavery” on Friday, April 7, 2016, presided by H.E. Archbishop Bernadito Auza.

The Santa Marta Group is an alliance of international police chiefs and bishops from around the world working together with civil society in a process endorsed by Pope Francis who called it “an open wound on the body of contemporary society”, to eradicate human trafficking and modern day slavery.

Archbishop Auza and AAI founder, Nancy Rivard in Haiti.

AAI began working with the Archbishop after the earthquake in Haiti, where he was posted as the Nuncio. He is currently the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the UN and OAS and hosted Pope Francis on his recent visit to the United States.

AAI trainer, AA flight attendant and human trafficking survivor, Donna Hubbard presented with such luminaries as His Excellency Mogens Lykketoft, President of the UN General Assembly, Cardinal Nichols, Archbishop of Westminister, Commissioner Kevin Hyland, UK’s Anti Slavery Commissioner, Actress Mira Sorvino, Goodwill Ambassador for UNODC and many more.

Donna shared the riveting story of how she was trafficked and found the courage to break free which prompted a standing ovation. She also praised the leadership of the Catholic Church on the most important human rights issue of our time. Archbishop Auza also highlighted the leadership of Airline Ambassadors in establishing best practices on the issue of human trafficking and spearheading action in the travel industry.  

Pope Francis sent an inspirational letter which opened the conference whose purpose was to catalyze coordination to implement Sustainable Development Goal Targets 5.2, 8.7 and 16.2 which commit UN Member States to  eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation” and take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking.

The resurgence of slavery is one of the biggest tragedies of our modern globalized world. According to ILO estimates in 2012 there are 21 million victims worldwide. In many places the population has grown faster than the economy, leaving many economically vulnerable.  Millions are migrating from impoverished rural areas to cities, and from poorer to wealthier countries in search of work or refuge.  Criminals are able to deceive them by posing as legitimate labor recruiters.  Human Trafficking and modern slavery have a devastating impact on individual victims, who often suffer physical and emotional abuse, rape, threats against themselves or their families or even murder.

HE Vincent Cardinal Nichols, of Westminster.

At the official dinner afterwards, many of the distinguished panel downloaded and praised AAI’s TIP Line Smart phone APP as a premier reporting tool for human trafficking.