A million dollars in aid was collected to fight human trafficking and help victims
UNITAS, an award-winning, international foundation dedicated to the prevention of human trafficking and helping victims, organized a humanitarian evening with celebrities in New York for the fifth time. At that event, one million dollars was collected for the prevention of trafficking, primarily for educating young people about the risks and possibilities of prevention, training school staff and others who work with children, as well as supporting victims through therapy, mentoring and housing.
British pop singer Natasha Bedingfield, American singer Chris Cabe, famous violinist David Aaron Carpenter performed at the charity Gala dinner. An auction of works of art was also held. In addition to highlighting the importance of the ongoing mission in the fight against human trafficking, pioneering efforts in education about violence prevention and empowerment through self-defense were also pointed out.
The global representative of the UNITAS foundation, Ana Krstajić, pointed out that human trafficking is a complex problem often linked to other social problems such as poverty, homelessness, lack of education, wars, but that there is no specific profile of a victim of trafficking. “Anyone can become a victim, regardless of gender, age, race, social status.” That is why prevention and information on how to protect yourself are essential, and the fight against human trafficking requires a collective and strong response,” said Ana Krstajić.
The UNITAS Foundation has been engaged in the prevention and fight against human trafficking since 2015, after the founder Ljubo Krstajić learned about the difficulties of the victims. Believing in unity, which is the meaning of the organization’s name, UNITAS has established partnerships with governments and non-governmental organizations and engaged experts in the field to develop collaborative solutions in the fight against human trafficking. UNITAS has offices in Belgrade and New York.
This year, the foundation received a Webby Gold Anthem Award for “Best Strategy” for reaching youth with “transformative” human trafficking prevention education through its Lights curriculum, implemented by the foundation’s partners, including the largest school systems in the United States .
UNITAS in Serbia works on prevention programs and education for children, young people, parents, teachers, pedagogues, and this year it also implements training for hoteliers on how to recognize and prevent human trafficking.
