Senegal, 27 July 2023 – "There is nothing more important than human dignity", said Mody Ndiaye, President of the "Cellule nationale de lutte contre la traite des personnes (CNLTP)" the national unit to combat human trafficking in a public interview, declaring Senegal’s commitment to the Blue Heart Campaign against trafficking in persons.
To officially launch the Blue Heart Campaign in Senegal, several activities took place, including a kick-off panel discussion marking World Day against Trafficking in Persons on July 27, 2023.
On this occasion, Senegal also organized a concert to launch the Blue Heart Campaign. Renowned artists like Alexiane Silla, Coumba Gawlo, and VJ joined six young musical talents who were finalists in the "Sing for Justice" competition: Mariama Cham, Pape Abdoulaye Dieng, students from Sénégal Génie Musique, Boun Oumar Ndiaye, Lansana Sane, François Sène, and Khady Pouye. The highlight of the evening was the award ceremony, where Mariama Cham was presented the "Sing for Justice" award.
In her opening remarks, Annalisa Pauciullo, Regional Coordinator of UNODC's Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Unit, stressed the vital role of governments, international organizations, and diplomatic representations in preventing and combating human trafficking.
Mr. Kameldy Neldjingaye, Deputy Regional Representative of UNODC, emphasized the power of music and art in conveying the message of this year's theme, "Reach every victim of trafficking, leave no one behind."
Following the Blue Heart Campaign launch, the finalists of the "Sing for Justice" competition participated in a week-long masterclass in collaboration with the Éveil et Musiques music school. Additionally, each international artist – Alexiane Silla, Coumba Gawlo, and VJ – provided mentoring sessions to the young talents, sharing their personal experiences in the music industry, and connecting them to the issue of human trafficking.
Journée mondiale de la lutte contre la traite d’êtres humains Campagne Cœur bleu - web story
The concert, organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), was part of the PROMIS project with financial support from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It was conducted under the auspices of the National Committee for the Fight against Trafficking in Persons (CNLTP) and the Ministry of Justice of Senegal.
