A21 engages 'millions' in first online anti-slavery summit

Hundreds of thousands of people will join Christine Caine and her husband Nick this Saturday, October 17, for the first global online summit of their anti-slavery organisation A21.

“This is shaping up to be the most impactful campaign we have ever done,” Christine Caine tells Eternity.

“We have 1568 events being hosted on 67 nations so far, and tens of thousands of people registered to participate online. I’m so excited!”

During the free one-hour broadcast, Caine says “participants will hear from those leading the fight on the frontlines around the globe”.

The aim of the event, according to Caine, is to inspire participants to “take immediate action in their cities and communities and to advance the fight against human trafficking”.

Participants can tune in to the broadcast individually or host a group event.

The online summit is a COVID-safe alternative to A21’s Walk For Freedom event, in which tens of thousands participated last year, in 500 locations across the world.

“While COVID-19 has changed the way we can rally abolitionists locally and globally – our mission is staying the same,” says the A21 website.

“On October 17, we will still show up, rise up, and fight for freedom at the first ever Global Freedom Summit in history. In the midst of horrific tragedy, exploitation is still prevalent for millions. Traffickers are still finding ways to exploit the most vulnerable. Unfortunately, they are shifting their strategies. But so are we.

“The engagement has been stunning.” – Christine Caine

“While we can’t take physical steps, we can all take action steps that will affect real change in real time. This year, we are asking our global community of abolitionists to either gather your small group of friends or tune in individually in the safety of your home.”

Caine is confident that the online summit has the potential to reach millions of people.

“This is not hyperbole – the engagement has been stunning,” she enthuses to Eternity.

“It is my hope that tens of thousands of people will become aware of human trafficking, how they can see it and what they can do about it. This is about educating and mobilising abolitionists. Together we can stop this!”

For more information or to register for the Global Freedom Summit, go to the A21 website.