Join us on Monday, March 11, 2019 when Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport marshals the power of community to address the issue of forced labor in Atlanta. The ATL End Human Trafficking Summit is a collective action to bring an end to this blight on society. This will be a day of expert panels and a powerhouse luncheon. You’ll leave inspired to make a difference for our most vulnerable victims. Let’s put an end to human trafficking for good.
The Summit is free but you do need to register. Here is the Eventbrite Link!
Special guests to include award-winning journalists: Chris Hansen, host of “To Catch a Predator;” Channel 2 Action News Anchor Jovita Moore (WSB-TV); Rose Scott, host of “Closer Look with Rose Scott” (90.1 FM – WABE Radio); Channel 2 Action News Reporter Mark Winne (WSB-TV); CBS46 Reporter Meghan Packer (WGCL-TV); and Atlanta Journal-Constitution Columnist Gracie Bonds Staples.
Also joining us will be Airport General Manager John Selden, Atlanta’s senior human trafficking fellow Ouleye Warnock, Airline Ambassadors International and Polaris representatives, elected officials, law enforcement, human trafficking survivors, and leaders from a cross-section of industries on the front lines of the human trafficking battle.
Special educational performance by The Positive Arts Movement, Inc.
Registration opens at 8 a.m. and program begins promptly at 9 a.m. Please bring registration ticket for entry. Walk-ins will not be admitted. GICC parking is available for a reduced rate of $5.
For more information, visit www.endhumantraffickingatl.org.
Convening at the Georgia International Convention Center, 2000 Convention Center Concourse, College Park, GA, the Summit brings together cohorts across the spectrum of stakeholders seeking to draw the line on human trafficking. Registration opens at 8 a.m. and program begins promptly at 9 a.m. Please bring registration ticket for entry. Walk-ins will not be admitted. GICC parking is available for a reduced rate of $5. For more information, visit www.endhumantraffickingatl.org.
The day is hosted by Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International Airport and will feature a series of sessions with experts from various sectors, including communications, technology, elected officials, hospitality and transportation, corporate, law enforcement, airports and concessions. Panelists will participate in brief, but robust conversations about what’s being done in their respective areas to address the problem at this important opportunity to raise awareness.
General Session
Highlighting Airport, Local and Global Initiatives
Giving Voice to Victims
Still Standing
Buyer Beware
Safe Skies
Getting to the Bottom Line
Airline Ambassador survivor trainers will be featured as well as AAI colleagues on every panel.
This Summit was postponed from January 29 due to inclement weather.
See the video shot that night featuring our survivor trainer Donna Hubbard and Torian Weldon.
“The City of Atlanta is committed to ending human trafficking of all people. We will do everything in our power to ensure the safety of vulnerable populations and strengthen the systems necessary to help every citizen of Atlanta thrive.”
–Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms
https://www.endhumantraffickingatl.org/
HUMAN TRAFFICKING ACTIVIST &
FOUNDER OF AIRLINE AMBASSADORS INT’L TO RELEASE MEMOIR
Arlington, VA, December 12, 2018 – Nancy Rivard, founder of Airline Ambassadors International and recipient of the 2018 United Nations Human Rights Award will release her memoir, “Wings of Love,” in 2019. The funds for the project, which aims at inspiring people to bring love into action at a global scale, will be raised through a crowdfunding campaign.
In “Wings of Love,” Rivard shares the story of her journey to her life purpose, which led her to start Airline Ambassadors International. AAI is the most successful non-profit in the airline industry, saves millions of lives, and began the fight to stop human trafficking in 2010. It also led Rivard to marry the man of her dreams!
The main themes — fulfilling one’s destiny by being of service, and finding true love, echo two of the most burning desires of men and women all over the world.
“People don’t really learn from facts and figures,” Rivard explains. “The best way we can shift their perspective — to something larger than themselves — is to give them a personal experience or a story through which they can live vicariously. I am writing “Wings of Love” because I want to inspire people with a story that will move their soul. Hopefully, the Wings of Love book will inspire readers to ask themselves the essential question: ‘How can I serve?”
In “Wings of Love,” Rivard opens up her heart and reveals the good and the bad, the happy moments and the heartbreaking challenges, the unexpected traps, and the powerful lessons. The memoir makes a case for kindness, compassion, and generosity as inherent features of the human soul as opposed to the world being portrayed as a place of hatred and separation. Rivard’s memoir leads the readers on a journey across continents, from hip California to refugee camps in Kosovo, to poverty-stricken El Salvador. Readers will meet extraordinary people–unknown heroes, spiritual teachers, and former heads-of-state such as Mikhail Gorbachev, Grandfather David, Spiritual Elder of the Hopi’s, famous Clown Doctor, Patch Adams, visionary biologist, Elisabet Sathouris, Congressman Tom Lantos, the Dalai Lama, Bishop Tutu and Deepak Chopra.
“I believe that earth is actually a schoolroom for us to continually reap the effects of our actions until we realize that it’s a never ending cycle,” says Rivard. “Frankly, it gets boring to live only for ourselves. After enough experience we realize that it is only through caring, sharing, and bringing love into action that we feel fulfilled. As each of us finds our unique way to serve, our unique talent to share, we can change the world for the better,” she adds.
Since 1996, when she founded Airline Ambassadors International to make a positive change in the world, Rivard has helped millions of orphans and vulnerable children and human trafficking victims. Now, she relies on the help of others to bring her new project to life. “Wings of Love” is more than a book, or the story of someone’s life. It is a tool for us to build a global tide of good will,” she says.
The proceeds from the crowdfunding campaign will be used to cover the costs of the technical aspects of publishing ‘Wings of Love,” as well as the marketing campaign that will include a book launch tour in the US.
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About Nancy Rivard: Nancy founded Airline Ambassadors International (AAI) to provide for orphans and vulnerable children in 1996 while working as a flight attendant for American Airlines. Nancy has a Masters degree from Southern Methodist University and is married to contractor and environmentalist, Dave Rivard. She runs the Airline Ambassadors office from Arlington VA and retired in 2013 as an international flight attendant to run Airline Ambassadors full time. She has been honored with an impressive number of awards: Woman of Peace Award (1999), Ambassador of Peace Award(2000), President’s Award for Lifetime Achievement (2006), Ambassador of Peace Award (The London Travel Market, 2013), Human Rights Hero Award (Foundation for a Slavery Free World, 2015), Human Rights Award (United Nations Association, 2017).
About the book: “Wings of Love” is being co-written by journalist and author A.G. Billig. The book came about through the work of AAI’s original Director of Protocol, Maria Harrison. Its sponsor is life coach and philanthropist Ronda Coallier, and the project is being produced by Professor Frank Chindamo.
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For further information please contact:
A.G. Billig
E-mail: contact@agbillig.com
Cell: 323-443-2445
About Airline Ambassadors International: Founded in 1996 by Nancy Rivard, AAI is the only non-profit leveraging connections with the airline industry to facilitate humanitarian efforts, and is recognized by the US Congress and the United Nations. Airline Ambassadors has hand-delivered over $60 million of aid to children in 62 countries in orphanages, clinics and remote communities, impacting over 500,000 children. Volunteers have escorted 3,000 children for life changing medical care. Since correctly identifying human trafficking on four flights in 2009, AAI developed the first “industry specific” training on human trafficking awareness that has been provided at 90 airports and other locations.
Airline Ambassadors International
550 14th Road South #1014
Arlington, VA 22202
Press contact:
A.G. Billig
E-mail: contact@agbillig.com
Cell: 323-443-2445
This release was published on openPR. See this LINK
by donating HERE to Airline Ambassadors
If you have participated on Airline Ambassadors missions or any international volunteer travel, we would appreciate your help by completing this SURVEY.
George Peppas is an AAI member and completing his doctoral thesis based on our work and the experience of all international volunteers. Thanks for taking the time to help us!
GEORGE D. PEPPAS, JR.
George Peppas is currently working on his Ph.D. in the field of Global Leadership at Indiana Institute of Technology in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He has numerous years of teaching experience in higher education in the fields of Criminal Justice, Business, General Education, and Hospitality & Tourism Management. Prior to entering the teaching field, he gained a wide-range of experience in his thirty plus years of law enforcement. Before entering the law-enforcement, he worked in the aviation field as a flight instructor and continues to work in this field today.
Education
Indiana Tech University PhD Candidate 2010 – Present Global Leadership
Indiana Tech University MBA 2008 Human Resources
Indiana Tech University MSM 2008 Management
Purdue University – Ft. Wayne BS 2004 Hospitality Mtg.
University of Saint Francis BS 2004 Liberal Studies
Ivy Tech State College – Ft Wayne 2003 A.A.S. Hospitality Administration
Research Interests
Mr. Peppas’ research and dissertation is on “A Study of the Sustainability of Future Global Humanitarianism through Voluntourism.” The purpose of conducting “The International Volunteer Tourism Survey” is to anonymously collect data for his dissertation in order to conduct a marketing/motivation profile research analysis for sustainability in voluntourism
Christmas is a time of giving, a time of sharing, come join Airline Ambassadors as we continue to put smiles on kids faces of kids for more than 20 years! Dec 12-15!
This December we partner with SACSA (Cartagena airport) to improve the quality of life of people in Barrio San Francisco in Cartagena, Colombia.
Our team is exploring one of the oldest colonial cities in Latin America and doing a good deed in this holiday season, Bienvenido a Cartagena!
Here is an overview and pics of Day 1:
Our AAI team met with Alex Velasco, director of Social outreach and Consuelo Ramirez SACSA vice chairman at the airport. Afterwards traveled to la Cancha el Guiro, barrio San Francisco, and joined by Osvaldo from Fundación Mamoral, and the girls from the kickball program. We painted and cleaned the surrounding area of the field, finally meet with Vleiber the head of Civil program of el Barrio.
Wednesday – December 12
Thursday – December 13Save your space now with a $100 deposit. Reserve the entire trip for $400 or pay $300 balance due after deposit.
Jose Redondo Raffo, one of of our most incredible humanitarians, will lead the team. He has been active helping our brothers and sisters from other countries like Peru, Puerto Rico, Honduras, Mexico and Guatemala. On Sept 14 and 15 he joined a team from SACSA (Airport administration) continue a commitment to help Barrio San Francisco.
They taught the kids the value of the environment and how they could use everyday materials to built a vertical garden. Working together with young students from the School Corazón de Maria, they built a Vertical Garden.
PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS TO ERADICATE HUMAN TRAFFICKING
took place on Friday, November 9, 2018 – United Nations
Airline Ambassadors was honored to participate in this event on eradicating Human Trafficking. Our star trainer, Donna Hubbard – received a standing ovation!
Opening remarks were made by E. Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Apostolic Nuncio & Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations and Clarissa Gingrich, U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See. Deborah O’Hara Rusckowski, delegate for the Sovereign Order of Malta Mission to the UN moderated the excellent event. Nancy Rivard, President of AAI also participated sharing progress made by the aviation industry in the fight against human trafficking. 
Remarks also by
- E. Michel Veuthey, Ambassador of the Sovereign Order of Malta to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
- E. Geraldine Byrne Nason, Permanent Representative of the Mission of Ireland to the UN
- E. Martin Garcia Moritan, Permanent Representative of the Mission of Argentina to the UN
- E. Christian Wenaweser, Permanent Representative of the Mission of Liechtenstein to the UN
- Simone Monasebian, Director of Office of Drugs & Crime, UNODC
- Kevin Hyland, Chief Executive of ChildFund, Ireland and member of the Vatican’s Santa Marta Group
- Vinicius Pinheiro, Special Representative to the UN and Director of the International Labour Organization (ILO)
- Cindy McCain, Chair, McCain Institute for International Leadership
- Donna Hubbard, Women at the Well Transition Center, Airline Ambassadors Trainer
- Nancy Rivard, Airline Ambassadors – report on efforts in aviation industry
- Cathy Miller, RN, PHD – report on efforts in health care sector
- Angel Menendez – DHS – ICE -report on efforts in law enforcement
Co-sponsored by the Permanent Missions of Lebanon and Ireland
and the Permanent Observer Missions of the Holy See and the Sovereign Order of Malta to the UN
UN Web TV LIVE http://www.un.org/webcast/schedule/latest.html
The goal of the meeting was to Form a “anti-human trafficking worldwide group”, whose synergy more successfully impacts the areas of fighting all forms of human trafficking–sexual exploitation, forced labor and organ harvesting for working towards a common goal. Through the various talents, skill sets, and contacts, a multi-level effort will simultaneously work from the bottom up and the top down to ultimately change attitudes & behavior to recognize the crime and take action. Need to gain support and involvement to strengthen, raise the level and ‘professionalize’ our responses to eradicating human trafficking.
STRATEGY: To drive delivery to ending human trafficking and modern slavery:
Through a focus driven initiative of a multi-disciplinary team:
- Governmental Agencies – Homeland Security, Criminal Justice, Law Enforcement
- Private Sector – Business, Airline Industry, Sports Industry, Hospitality Industry
- Healthcare Sector
- Education/Academia Sector
- Non-Government Agencies
- Faith Groups
- UN Agencies
Nancy’s remarks on Airline Industry Response:
“The airline industry has taken substantial steps to combat human trafficking – but more is needed.
Because of our efforts and support of the flight attendant unions the FAA Re authorization Act of 2016 was passed in the U.S, mandating training on human trafficking for all flight attendants.
Earlier this year the International Civil Aviation Authority issued Circular 352 recommending training of flight crew at all global airlines, and the International Air Transport Association joined forces launching the Eyes Wide Open Campaign,
In the US Delta airlines stands out as lead, the first airline to sign the ECPAT Code in 2013. However more than basic on-line training is needed and Airline Ambassadors is working with the Department of Transportation to encourage all airlines to have training staff cover this in live annual recurrent training of flight attendants and pilots. American Airlines has been supportive of our efforts, (also signing the ECPAT Code in 2017) and hired two trafficking survivors.
However we sent a letter to all airline CEO’s in March 2017 (in support of Sustainable Development Goal 8.7) and not one US airline CEO responded to our request to add a clause their human trafficking policies to be willing to train and hire trafficking survivors. We need your support and public pressure on this issue.
Globally, Air Asia, Sky Regional, Air Emirates and Qatar Airlines have made a commitment to train, but despite some effort by Aer Lingus, Copa and Al Nippon, most global airlines have done nothing and need to take action on this issue.
Airline Ambassadors continues to raise public awareness and we have provided 75 Airport training’s so far with our teams of aviation professionals and survivors training over 7000 front line professionals.
We are proud of our star trainer Donna Hubbard who has become a leading voice in the industry and together we are looking forward to partnering with Hartsfield Jackson International Airport and the NFL to provide training before the SuperBowl on January 29, 2019.”
We appreciate American Airlines, our #1 Sponsor!
for our Children’s Medical Escort, Humanitarian Missions & Human Trafficking Aawareness programs
Here are the faces of some of the employees and children whose lives were touched:
AAI provided TWO Human Trafficking Awareness training’s in Philadelphia on September 18, 2018.
“We cannot thank you enough for your support and for providing the two training sessions at PHL. I have had countless requests today to add more sessions! Word traveled fast on how informative and moving the sessions were.” Jim Moses, GM American Airlines PHL Airport.
Many thanks for support from sponsor Travelliance and PHL Professional Women in Aviation as well as American Airlines for their support. Special thanks to Karen Rathman of Travelliance and Rachael Tamalonis for support.
A morning and afternoon training were opened by Jim Moses, VP of American Airlines and Renee Tufts, Manager Airport Security. Ron Morgan of AA Security and Eric Ruona of FBI also made opening remarks emphasizing the importance of airport employees awareness of this horrific crime. Over 100 attendees participated and were inspired, especially by Ms. Donna Hubbard who shared her personal story of surviving human trafficking and now giving back to her community and working as an AA flight attendant.
Trainers included AA’ers Nancy Rivard, Teresa Garza, Donna Hubbard and Tammy Meade. Local NGO’s, Nationalities Services Center, Covenant House and Walk Her Home also shared helping to raise awareness of human trafficking to front line employees in Philadelphia. We hope that PHL employees will continue to support these NGO’s and even have a team to participate in the Walk Her Home 5K Walk/Run on October 20th.
“Thank you for the opportunity to participate. Program’s such as this are an important part of our security posture here at PHL and the more awareness we can bring to our stakeholders about the various issues our community may face, the better! Thank you and your team for all the hard work you do to get the information out.” Renee Tufts, C.M. Airport Security Manager, Philadelphia International Airport
We are grateful to American Airlines our # 1 Sponsor, for providing a full page ad in American Way in flight magazine to be seen by millions of passengers this October. American Airlines signed the ECPAT Code of Conduct last year making public their determination to combat Modern Day Slavery.
We applaud their commitment. (See below a sneak peak at the ad)
Thanks for support with ad design to Stuart Itkin and Kaarina Mackenzie of Athena Global Advisors.
Airlines Denounce Trafficking and commit to Action at the 2018 General Meeting at IATA in Sydney, Australia. Bravo to UNODC Goodwill Ambassador – Mira Sorvino for her statement for the IATA General Meeting June 4, 2018!
We appreciate the support of Tim Colehan and IATA encouraging airlines to educate staff on Human Trafficking Awareness. Airline cabin crew and staff can be boots on the ground and boots in the air combating this horrific crime. See this link to IATA website
SYDNEY: Airlines are set to step up the fight against human trafficking, global industry body IATA said Monday (Jun 4) as it released guidelines on how crews can act as “eyes and ears” to identify and report suspected cases.
Human trafficking is the world’s fastest-growing criminal industry and the second-largest after the drug trade, according to the US State Department, and there is an increasing push for the aviation industry to take action.
Airlines speed up fight against human trafficking
Airlines want to speed up worldwide the fight against human trade. Indeed, there are already numerous initiatives of single groups, however, up to now a branch-wide beginning has been absent, said Tim Colehan of the international aviation federation (IATA) at the annual federation meeting on Monday in Sydney. The Austrian Airlines supports the decision like one says on APA inquiry.
New guidelines should help the board staff to recognize suspicion cases and to handle after the landing with the victims. The Austrian Airlines helps carry the decision as one said on APA inquiry. ‘ The flight attendants are in a unique position because they sometimes travel many hours together with the passengers ‘, explained Colehan. Therefore they could also discover the smallest signals and Auffälligkeiten. The beginning also intends the vote with airports and criminal proceedings authorities like customs officials and border officials.
Human trafficking is according to US foreign ministry the fastest growing criminal trade of the world and second largest generally after the drug trafficking. According to the office of the United Nations to the fight against drugs and crime fight (UNODC) it comes at 60 percent of human trade for crossing of international borders. Therefore, the pressure on the aviation industry grows.
Indeed, it adds according to Colehan no information about the magnitude of human trade in the aviation branch, however, new laws squeeze all over the world the airlines to train her flight crew especially. International working organization ILO assumes from the fact that nearly 25 million people live in modern slavery. The main routes of human trade run from Africa in the Middle East and south Europe and Western Europe as well as from South Asia in the Middle East, Eastern Asia and the Pacific region.
Airline Ambassadors has been lobbying the airline industry with the importance of their role in prevention. It is exciting to see the support of both government with the ICAO release of Circular 352 at the High Commission on Human Rights, and the support of IATA, the main business association for airlines.
See this piece on AAI’s survivor trainer by Voice of America and other articles on the Eyes Wide Open initiative HERE and
