15.05.2008
Ecumenical anti-trafficking service to mark 'Not for Sale' Sunday on May 18
St Ann’s Church on Dawson Street, Dublin, will be the venue for an ecumenical service to highlight the issue of trafficking in persons for sexual exploitation. The service will take place at 8pm on Sunday 18 May 2008.
Following the theme “Not For Sale”, the service is being held under the auspices of the Church of Ireland and APT (Act to Prevent Trafficking), a Roman Catholic faith-based group working against trafficking in persons. APT works in association with CORI (Conference of Religious in Ireland) and the IMU (Irish Missionary Union).
The guest speaker will be Carol Freeman, Advocacy and Campaigns officer of the UK faith-based organisation, Churches Alert to Sex Trafficking across Europe. Carol has worked has worked for a number of charities and NGOs. While in South Africa she was the founding member of a national coalition to support survivors of rape.
Another guest who will travel to Ireland for the event is Rev. Mhorag McDonald of the Hamilton Presbytery of the Church of Scotland.
Amongst those expected to attend the service are the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Paddy Bourke, Ms. Marion Walsh, Executive Director of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, senior clergy of all denominations, civic dignitaries and representatives of An Garda Síochána, women’s groups, agencies working to prevent trafficking and church groups.
Further information available from Isabelle Smyth by phone: 087-9701891 or email: mmm@iol.ie.
