Screening of thematic films on the occasion of 18 October - European Day against Trafficking in Human Beings
On 18 October, the European Community celebrates the Day against Trafficking in Human Beings. A crime that flagrantly violates human rights and places victims in dependency, fear, and exploitation. In order to draw the public attention to the problem, various prevention initiatives, public and expert discussions, as well as awareness-raising campaigns are planned in the EU Member States.
The National Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings (NCCTHB), the A21 Campaign Foundation - Bulgaria and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Mission in Bulgaria are planning a screening at the Cinema House in Sofia to celebrate the European Day against Trafficking in Human Beings.
The event is a continuation of the joint human trafficking prevention campaign "Can you see me?" and marks the beginning of a new series of screenings and information sessions for students and young people, focusing on the groups most vulnerable to the risks of involvement in human trafficking and exploitation.
The screening will be launched by Ms. Maria Gabriel, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Chairperson of the NCCTHB, Ms. Monika Nikolova, Executive Director of A21 Campaign Foundation - Bulgaria, and Mr. Radoslav Stamenkov, Head of the IOM Mission in Bulgaria.
The two short films examine the different modes of involvement and forms of exploitation associated with trafficking and the narrative focus on specific identifying signs and methods of involvement in trafficking for sexual or labor exploitation. The film Ghost Town focuses on trafficking for labor exploitation and On the Waterfront addresses the issue of trafficking for sexual exploitation. The films feature some of the most prominent young actors in the Bulgarian film and theatre scene, such as Luisa Grigorova, Angela Nedyalkova, Martin Hristov, and others. The short prevention video "5 Misconceptions about Working and Living Abroad" focuses on safe labor migration and was created within the project "Raising Awareness of Local Communities in Areas with a Significant Roma Population on Asylum and Migration Issues", implemented by IOM Bulgaria.