Vatican City, 20 May 2014 (VIS) –
This morning a press conference was held in the Holy See Press Office
to present the Talitha Kum International Network of Consecrated Life
against Human Trafficking campaign for the Brazil World Cup 2014:
“Play for life, against trafficking”. The speakers were Cardinal
Joao Braz de Aviz, prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of
Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, Kenneth Francis
Hackett, the United States' ambassador to the Holy See, Sister Carmen
Sammut, MSOLA, president of the International Union of Superior
Generals, Sister Estrella Castalone, F.M.A., coordinator of Talitha
Kum, and Sister Gabriella Bottani, M.C.C.J., coordinator of the
network Um Grito pela Vida, Brazil.
“This campaign shows the between
consecrated life and the sentiments of our Holy Father regarding this
crime, that he himself has defined as a wound on the body of
contemporary humanity, a wound in Christ's flesh”, said Cardinal
Braz de Aviz. Sister Carmen Sammut emphasised that unfortunately
“this crime is present everywhere, for the profits from it are
enormous. Prevention of this type of human trafficking entails
reducing the demands for sexual services. In order for this to
happen, public opinion needs to be alerted”.
Recalling the Holy Father's remark that
it is impossible to remain indifferent in the knowledge that there
are human beings trafficked like goods, Sister Gabriella Bottani
pointed out that, according to official statistics, this serious
crime affects around 21 million people around the world and that,
with a better understanding of the phenomenon and its causes, methods
of encouraging it to be reported to the authorities can be found. “We
must forcefully combat the code of silence and fear surrounding this
serious violation of human dignity”. The message of this campaign
is a concrete and positive proposal for life: “A dignified and free
life for all”. It is hoped that the World Cup in Brazil may offer a
positive space for the promotion of the culture of rights and life,
denouncing all forms of exploitation that devalue and reduce it to
the status of a commodity and raising awareness among populations
regarding the possible risks and how to intervene by reporting
transgressions to the authorities.
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