Bucharest, December 11, 2020
Photo: business-review.eu
Yesterday, on International Human Rights Day, the Romanian Orthodox Church, the Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs’ National Agency Against Human Trafficking, and the Bucharest City Hall signed a cooperation agreement to prevent and combat human trafficking.
The Romanian Patriarchate was represented by the Patriarchal vicar His Grace Bishop Varlaam of Ploiești, reports the Basilica News Agency.
The Romanian authorities were represented by several governmental Minsters and the Mayor General of Bucharest. The event was also attended by U.S. Ambassador to Romania Adrian Zuckerman, who has made human trafficking a priority of the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest.
The protocol signed by the Romanian Patriarchate and the National Agency Against Human Trafficking provides for the development of joint actions to prevent human trafficking at the local, regional, or national level and the realization and dissemination of informative materials on the problem of human trafficking.
Agency experts will train Patriarchate staff on ways to identify potential trafficking victims, giving priests and youth workers better tools to prevent this terrible phenomenon and support victims.
74% of human trafficking victims in the European Union come from Romania, though, according to recent report form the U.S. State Department, Romania’s services for minor victims of human trafficking are inadequate, and the authorities investigate, indict, and convict a smaller number of traffickers.
At the signing ceremony, Bp. Varlaam recalled that such a protocol had also been signed between the Patriarchate and the Ministry of the Interior in 2003, during the time of His Beatitude Patriarch Teoctist.
“The Church can continue to make a special contribution to the prevention of human trafficking and especially to the spiritual recovery of the victims of these tragedies, which take place throughout the world,” said the Patriarchal vicar.
He also noted that the Church is already working to prevent human trafficking by approaching young people and promoting Christian values among them.
“Through priests and religion teachers, these Christian values are supported and, when there are vulnerable people in communities, either due to poor education or due to material living conditions, the Church, at the level of each community, finds the right solutions,” Bp. Varlaam said, recalling that the Church also has experience in national projects for preventing social risks.
For example, the Choose School program has supported 32,000 children, helping them stay in school. “We carried out this work with the conviction that, by preparing them sufficiently for life, they will have the tools to help them resist the traps that these international networks of human trafficking set,” His Grace explained.
Romanian priests in the Western diaspora already have rich experience in the reintegration of human trafficking victims, Bp. Varlaam noted, and under the terms of newly-signed agreement, new and effective programs can be developed with bishops and parishes in the diaspora.
“We applaud the government and the Orthodox Church, and the Municipality of Bucharest for their efforts to bring the issue of human trafficking to the attention of the public, to work together, and to invite civil society to respond to the support needs of the victims, giving more importance to prevention, protection, and care services,” Ambassador Zuckerman said.
“Thank You, Your Grace Bp. Varlaam, for joining the government and the municipality in this fight against human trafficking. The Church has a special place in Romania and its help is welcome and vital. Thank you!” the Ambassador added.
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