12 February 2009 - New York, NY: Academy Award-winning actress Mira Sorvino, will be appointed a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Goodwill Ambassador to Combat Human Trafficking. The ceremony takes place in the Trusteeship Council Chamber of the United Nations between 3:00-5:00 pm on Thursday, 12 February.
Ms. Sorvino's induction will be held during a high-level panel discussion on human trafficking, and the launch of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Global Report on Trafficking in Persons. The Office on Drugs and Crime is the lead UN agency fighting all forms of human trafficking including sex slaves, child soldiers, forced labor, illegal adoption and illegal organ transfers. UNODC works with governments, the private sector and NGOs by raising public awareness, engaging in preventative activities and enhancing the capacity and
skills of criminal justice professionals and policymakers. In March 2007, the two hundredth anniversary of the abolition of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, UNODC launched UN GIFT, the UN Global Initiative to Fight human Trafficking, www.ungift.org. Antonio Maria Costa, Executive-Director of UNODC notes that, "human trafficking is a multi-billion dollar a year business. Its profits are second only to drugs and arms, and most of its victims women and girls, many of whom are forced into prostitution or otherwise exploited sexually. Art is a powerful advocacy tool to raise awareness of and prevent human trafficking. We know that Mira's commitment to the plight of trafficking victims will move people to take action against modern day slavery. Abraham Lincoln - whose 200th birthday will be celebrated on February
12th - spoke words which still ring true today: 'Slavery is founded in the selfishness of man's nature - opposition to it is in his love of justice'.
"For the love of justice, and the defence of human dignity, we should all join Mira in asking how we may be complicit in this crime, and what we can do to stop it."
To read more on Mira Sorvino click here
