Young Ecumenists Convene to Fight Human Trafficking
According to the United Nations, over 12 million women and children are forced into sex trafficking. The Polaris Project reports that in the United States an estimated 17,500 foreign nationals are trafficked into sexual exploitation each year. Labor trafficking is also a widespread problem. The International Labour Organization estimates that there are at least 12.3 million victims of forced labor. Of those, at least 2.4 million were trafficked into another country.
Over 40 young ecumenists from across the country gathered together June 12 -15, 2008 to learn about human trafficking. The annual event, titled the Young Adult Ecumenical Forum (YAEF), is a grassroots effort to bring young ecumenists of various Christian traditions together to address a timely social justice concern. Past forums have addressed the relationship between globalization and poverty, violence, and environmental justice. The event started with inspiration from the World Council of Churches’ Stewards Program and the National Presbyterian Student Forum. Motoe Yamada, co-chair for the US Conference for the World Council of Churches’ Young Adult Task Force,and one of the stewards at the WCC's Central Committee meeting in 2004, served on YAEF's founding planning committee.
Held at Wesley Theological Seminary (http://www.wesleyseminary.edu/) in Washington, DC, the event included speakers Jen Joy McDaniel from the Not For Sale Campaign, Brigitte Gynther and Romero Ramirez of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, and Kristen Brewer from the Polaris Project. The participants also heard from Frank Smith, Chairman of the African American Civil War Memorial Freedom Foundation, during a trip to the African American Civil War Museum. Rev. Deborah DeWinter, Program Executive for the United States, World Council Churches, attended the opening session as a sign of support. The meeting began with an ecumenical prayer service at the chapel at Wesley, with guest homilist Rev. Neal Christie of the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, and closed with an ecumenical common prayer service planned entirely by conference participants.
This year’s event brought together the most diverse group of ecumenists in the forum’s five year history. The 45 participants represented 11 denominations and virtually every participant was attending the forum for the first time. The attendees traveled from over 15 different states. Several different countries were also represented by 13 interns who were sponsored to attend the forum by the United Methodist Board of Church and Society.
At the forum’s closing reflection, several young adults spoke to a new awareness of these issues on a personal level. The theme of wrestling with the challenges of God’s call was also prevalent among the responses. Several participants said they planned on implementing programs in their home communities to address trafficking on a local level. At the end of the forum, a new planning committee was formed for next year’s event. More information can be found at http://www.yaef.net.
This YAEF event was sponsored by the US Conference for the World Council of Churches, Church World Service, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the United Church of Christ, and the local congregation of St. Andrews Christian Church near Kansas City.
Two staff members affiliated with US Conference for the World Council of Churches provided assistance to the YAEF leadership team in facilitating the forum. David Fraccaro, the Young Adult Ecumenical Formation Coordinator, played an active role on the planning committee. US Conference for the WCC Office Manager and Program Assistant, John Asher, provided logistical support before and during the event.
A unique dimension of the Young Adult Ecumenical Forum within the context of the larger ecumenical movement is that it is entirely planned and implemented by young ecumenists on the grassroots level.
