The title of the 2 day symposium to be held on November 15 and 16 is ‘young people against prostitution and human trafficking: the greatest violence against human beings’  This Symposium is taking place in the Vatican and being hosted by Pope Francis.   I am very happy to let you know that Good Shepherd have two youth attending the Symposium – one from Malaysia and one from Taiwan.  Here is the link to the 34 page booklet.   Pages 3 and 4 presents the context in which the Symposium is taking place. Pages 7,8,9 and 10 outline the program for the two days.  Pages 11 to 22 provides the bios of the various speakers and 23 to the end are names of the observers

On page 11 you are introduced to Mary Anne Balthazar from Sabah, Malaysia and on page 17 you will learn about Joseph Loh from Taiwan.  It is certainly a tribute to the work of Good Shepherd in both Malaysia and Taiwan that Anne and Joseph have been selected as presenters.

Congratulations Anne and Joseph.  Be assured that we are all praying for you and cheering for you too!  Anne will present on at 11.30 on November 16th ‘Youth for Youth Against Human Trafficking – The Sabah Saga’ and Joseph will presented at 18.00 hours ‘Prevention of Human Trafficking in Taiwan.’

The topics are very broad and cover multiple aspects of human trafficking.   In reviewing the list of presenters I wish you to note that Good Shepherd are present in Ireland, (Ruth Kilcullen);  Kenya (Winnie Mutevu);  Spain, (Alejandra Scelles Torres);  Albania (Olivia Conroy);  Cambodia have two presentation ( Pisey Khim and Phirum Sary); and  Bolivia (Ana Paola Garcia Villagomez).

Marie Helene Halligon who attended the conference on Human Trafficking in November 2013 has been active in RENATE Europe and has encouraged youth to attend.  I am encouraging  two young people from Europe:  Andrea, who, I think represents her Hungarian NGO “ergo”. I was in contact with “ergo” during my staying in Hungary last September.  And Constance, who is a volunteer with Caritas Europe GS is part of in the “Collectif_contre_la_Traite”.   These two young women know GS only because of my contact as GS with their network.

Andrea Klemencsics    Age: 24   Profession: juriste (lawyer)     Petite présentation: Je suis diplômée de l’Université Catholique Péter Pàzmàny. J’ai écrit mon mémoire de l’esclavage moderne. En 2012 en cadre de programme Erasmus, j’ai étudié l’Université Catolique de Lille. A l’Université j’ai commencé un recherche avec mes professeurs français et hongrois. En 2012, j’ ai passé 6 mois à Lille, j’ai fait le stage chez Mouvement du NID. (prostitution, traite des êtres humains) Actuellement, je poursuis mes études doctorales à l’Université Catholique Péter Pàzmàny. Parallèlement, je suis membre de l’Association d’ERGO et de l’Association d’Ars Boni. (la revue juridique qui est éditée par les jeunes juristes)   Actuellement, je suis à Paris et je fais un stage à Fondation Robert Schuman en cadre de bourse.

Constance MAZARD, born in Montauban, France, on January 28, 1986 (28 years old).   Volunteer at Secours Catholique – Caritas France, is active in the struggle against human trafficking.    During her studies of law and political sciences, she used to take part in several activities with the catholic church. These activities included spending a month at an orphanage in India, taking care of children with sever physical and mental problems, taking care of the elderly in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, and spending a year in a Vietnamese catholic monastery teaching English to the Monks.
Through those experiences, she has learned a lot about human rights and the terrible situation of those living of the most impoverished conditions.   She was then involved in the struggle against human trafficking with the Collective « Together against the human trafficking » which gathers 23 charity organizations in France, coordinated by the Secours Catholique.     Website   (english and french)

We congratulate youth on all their accomplishments in this area.