Join the Freedom March & MTV Exit Concert: May 22

 

Filipinos are not spared by the horrors of human trafficking. Many are lured by the false promises of traffickers that trap them into a life of slavery, sexual exploitation and other human rights violations.

Take part in the Freedom March Against Human Trafficking, on May 22, 2009 along EDSA, from the front of The Heritage Hotel Manila to the Parking Lot of the SM Mall of Asia. Assembly time is at 2:30 p.m., in front of The Heritage Hotel. Around 3:45 p.m., we will start to march toward Mall of Asia for the free MTV Asia Exit Concert Against Human Trafficking.

The route for the march is seen below:

 

The concert starts at 5pm, featuring:

Gary V

Kitchie Nadal
Bamboo
Callalily
Duster
Itchyworms
Kamikaze
Kjwan
Parokya ni Edgar
Pochoy Labog
Pupil
Rico Blanco
Spongecola

Moymoy Palaboy
And surprise guests!

 

 

 

PRESS STATEMENT

May 14, 2009 – MTV Philippines, Visayan Forum Foundation and USAID joined forces to fight the war against Human Trafficking. “We are waging a war against human trafficking. We cannot accept the abuse and exploitation experienced by our women and children. We need to uphold and protect their freedom and dignity. We must rally our troops to fight the scourge of human traffickers,” said Ms. Cecilia Flores-Oebanda, President and Executive Director of the Visayan Forum Foundation, Inc.

 

By taking part at MTV EXIT Philippine’s kick off concert on May 22, 2009 at the Mall of Asia Concert Grounds, we put an end to exploitation and human trafficking. This is a first of the 4 free concerts at major cities across the Philippines. “I am not a robot” should be our battle cry! This is our stand for freedom -- about the rights of human beings to choose where we live, where we work, who our friends are, and who we love.

 

Gary V, Kitchie Nadal, and Moymoy Palaboy just confirmed yesterday their participation in the campaign. They will be ambassadors of the advocacy together with Bamboo, Callalily, Duster, Itchyworms, Kamikazee, Kjwan, Parokya ni Edgar, Pochoy Labog, Pupil, Rico Blanco, and Sponge Cola.

 

Prior to the concert, 5000 advocates (Representatives from the sea based, land based, and air based organizations, community and faith based institutions, non government organizations, schools and government agencies) will gather for the FREEDOM MARCH to express their outrage against the unacceptable exploitation of our women and children and to reiterate their commitment to intensify the fight against human trafficking. The advocates will highlight leader-representatives from these stakeholders who will present their respective messages and battle cries on trafficking issues. These advocates are crucial in sustaining the momentum generated by the concert to ensure that the impact will resonate beyond the audience who will attend. This way, these advocates will be catalysts for grassroots action all over the country. The march will start at Roxas Boulevard to the concert venue at the Mall of Asia.

 

 

MTV EXIT

The MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking) campaign is an award-winning multimedia initiative to raise awareness and increase prevention of human trafficking and exploitation. MTV EXIT was launched in Europe in 2004, in partnership with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Sida, and expanded across Asia with USAID in 2007. To date MTV EXIT has produced many MTV documentaries and other programming on trafficking, including Traffic: An MTV EXIT Special, presented by Lucy Liu; Inhuman Traffic, presented by Angelina Jolie; over a dozen localized language versions presented by Asian celebrities; short films; public service announcements; and animation.  MTV EXIT and Radiohead collaborated on an anti-exploitation video for their song All I Need, which premiered across MTV’s global network on 1 May 2008. MTV EXIT has also established partnerships with over 100 non-governmental organizations, distributed hundreds of thousands of anti-trafficking brochures in over 25 languages, and reached out to millions of young people through anti-trafficking messages at concerts and music festivals featuring R.E.M., Radiohead, The White Stripes, The Hives, Thievery Corporation, and hundreds of other international and local artists. For more information see www.mtvexit.org.

 

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Human Trafficking is defined by the United Nations as "the recruitment, transportation, and receipt of a person for sexual or economical exploitation by force, fraud, coercion, or deception" in order to make a profit. The UN estimates that at any one time there are 2.5 million trafficked victims in the world, with the majority of these victims in Asia and the Pacific. It is the second-largest illegal trade after drugs, with criminal traffickers earning over US$10 billion every year through the buying and selling of human beings. Often, victims are young men and women – the MTV demographic – who are guilty only of wanting a better life.

 

For more information about the MTV EXIT Concert visit: http://www.mtvexit.org/phil/

Do let us know that you'll be there. Coordinate with us if your organization/agency would like to set up free educational booth, related to freedom and/or human rights, at the concert area. Contact Visayan Forum Foundation through facebook (admins), phone (look for Malai or Angel) or email.

Be on the right side of history. Say WAHT!