The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Office for West and Central Africa and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Regional Office for West Africa, through the PROMIS Project, funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands are launching the Blue Heart Campaign in Senegal, with the National Committee in charge of the fight against Trafficking in Persons and the protection of victims and witnesses (CNLTP) and the Ministry of Justice of Senegal, on the occasion of the World Day against Trafficking in Persons through a concert at the Sorano theatre in Dakar on July 29 at 7:00 p.m.
The concert aims at raising global public awareness on human trafficking and its impact on individuals and society. In addition, the Blue Heart campaign encourages the involvement of governments, civil society actors, the private sector and individuals to take action and help prevent human trafficking.
The concert will showcase the Senegalese-Canadian singer Alexiane, author of the song Blue Hearts, specially composed for the Blue Heart Campaign, Coumba Gawlo, the diva with the golden voice and VJ, as well as the finalists of the “Sing for justice” competition: Mariama Cham, Pape Abdoulaye Dieng and students of Sénégal Génie Musique, Boun Oumar Ndiaye, Lansana Sane, François Sène, Khady Pouye.
In addition to this major concert that will take place on 29 July at the Sorano Theatre in Dakar, the six young finalists of the competition “ Sing for justice “will have the opportunity to participate in a one-week masterclass with Éveil et Musiques at the legendary studio la Boutique de Pape Armand Boy. After a week of training, the overall winner will be publicly announced and will have the opportunity to record a song with Alexiane.
The concert is free upon registration.
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This year, eight countries in West and Central Africa will be launching the Blue Heart campaign:
Senegal
From 18 to 30 July: Masterclass with the finalists of the “Sing for Justice” competition and guest stars of the concert.
27 July 2023: Panel on the occasion of the World Day against Trafficking in Persons in Senegal, organised by UNODC, OHCHR, IDHP and the CNLTP in Dakar at King Fahd palace Hotel (former Hôtel Méridien Président) located in Almadies, Dakar from 9:30 a.m.
29 July: Concert at the Daniel Sorano Theatre with Alexiane, Coumba Gawlo and VJ
Burkina Faso
30 July 2023: A panel discussion to mark World Day against Trafficking in Persons will be held on 30 July 2023 at the BRAVIA hotel in Ouagadougou, from 10.00am.
Presided over by the Minister of Solidarity, Humanitarian Action, National Reconciliation, Gender and the Family and sponsored by the Ambassador of the United States of America to Burkina Faso, with technical and financial support from the UNODC Regional Office for West and Central Africa, this celebration will also be an opportunity to launch the ‘Blue Heart’ campaign.
Côte d’Ivoire
23 July 2023: Projection of movies at the Cité Universitaire CAMPUS I of the University of Bouaké.
25 July 2023: Launch of the Day at the Alassane OUATTARA University in Bouaké
25 to 29 July 2023: The sensitisation caravan, “Blue Heart Campaign 2023” on Trafficking in Persons in the neighbourhoods of Bouaké.
27, 28 and 29 July 2022: Projection of movies on trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants in Bouake
26 to 28 July 2023: Training of members of the Gbêkê Regional Unit in Bouake
30 July 2022: Setting up of the Gbêkê Regional Unit and celebration of the World Day by the National Committee in charge of the fight against Trafficking in Persons
Throughout the month: Awareness-raising in Bouake mosques and churches and support for NGOs caring for victims
The Gambia
30 July: Launch of the Blue Heart campaign with NAATIP (National Agency against Trafficking in Persons):
Day 2: Training of police inspectors
Day 3: Training of social and health workers on trafficking in persons and victims of trafficking
Day 4: Community outreach in Medina Sotokoi, North Bank
Mali
31 July: Commemoration of World Day against trafficking in persons with CNLTP/PA and IOM
03 August: Friendly sports game between financial and technical partners and government departments working on the issue of trafficking
Niger
30 July:
Chad
30 July: launch of the Blue Heart campaign in Chad
Nigeria
Youth Speak Against Human Trafficking Challenge
1 June 2023: launch
30 June 2023: Announcement of the winner
31 July 2023 and 2 August 2023: Awareness-raising walk and training in Abuja. This campaign aims to raise awareness of disturbing developments and trends identified by UNODC and calls on governments, law enforcement officers, public services, and civil society to assess and enhance their efforts to strengthen prevention, identification and support of victims, and end impunity.
Global crises, conflicts, and climate emergency are escalating risks of trafficking. Displacement and socio-economic inequalities are impacting millions of people worldwide, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation by traffickers. Those who lack legal status, live in poverty, have limited access to education, healthcare, or decent work, face discrimination, violence, or abuse, or come from marginalised communities are often the primary targets of traffickers.
Why a Blue Heart?
The “Blue Heart” campaign is an initiative to raise public awareness to fight against trafficking in persons and its impact on society. The Blue Heart symbol represents the sadness of those who are trafficked while reminding us of the cold-heartedness of those who buy, sell and exploit their fellow human beings. For more information: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/endht/index.html
The PROMIS project aims to increase national responses and strengthen international cooperation to effectively fight against trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants in West and Central Africa using a human rights-based and gender-sensitive approach. As part of this project, UNODC is planning to organise a concert in support of the Blue Heart Campaign, a global initiative to raise public awareness of trafficking in persons and its impact on society. The concert will take place on 29 July 2023 at the Sorano theatre, with the participation of artists and musicians. The concert will be attended by about 1,000 people, including senior officials from national ministries, foreign embassies and United Nations bodies.
Alexiane
Author of the song “Blue Hearts” for UNODC to mark World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, as part of the Blue Heart campaign in 2022. Alexiane has renewed her commitment to UNODC for the 2023 edition of the campaign by selecting artists for the “Sing for Justice” competition and the concert to launch the Blue Heart campaign in Dakar on 29 July at the Sorano theatre.
The remix of Alexiane’s global hit “A Million On My Soul” has gone platinum in Russia with over 30,000,000 streams on all platforms. With 5 million Shazams, she ranked 54th in the world. Few Quebecer artists have achieved as much success as she has in the past two years, and her journey has been like a dream come true. On 15 October, Alexiane, a Montreal artist originally from Montmagny and Senegal, premiered her first album “Into the Sun”: an alternative pop album that knows no boundaries.
She received praise on all streaming platforms after the release of her first single, “You Say You Love Me.” Alexiane, a singer-songwriter, continues to grow with Gion Records, the record label she founded. She is also involved in all aspects of the production of her album as co-producer with Carla Bruni.
“Into the Sun” consists of 19 songs with a cinematic atmosphere lulled by the sounds of Africa. It includes two versions of “A Million On My Soul” (a theme song from Luc Besson's latest film, Valerian) as well as two songs in French, “Tu me manques” and “Sais-tu qui je suis?” The latter is the French adaptation of “You Say You Love Me”, co-written by Alexiane, Carla Bruni and the Quebecer Yves Laramée. Salif Keita, the legendary singer from Mali, is the guest artist on the song “Gold.” “Into the Sun” was entirely produced in Montreal at Sonny Black Productions (K-Maro, Corneille, Imposs, Dubmatique). Universal Music will distribute the album worldwide. Alexiane's career is under Pascal Nègre's famous management company #NP, an icon on the European music scene.
Alexiane Silla was born in Montmagny, Quebec. She grew up in Senegal and spent her first few years between Paris and Montreal where she obtained a baccalaureate in Economics at the University of McGill. She then studied Music Business and Music Production programme at UCLA, the prestigious University of Los Angeles.
Coumba Gawlo
Coumba Gawlo is an artist who is committed to UNODC and was appointed National Goodwill Ambassador against trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants in 2016. She will once again lend her voice to this cause at the launch of the Blue Campaign in Senegal, during the concert at the Sorano theatre on 29 July 2023 at 7pm.
She began singing at the age of 7, accompanying her mother Fatou Kiné Mbaye (a well-known griot). At the age of fourteen, Coumba was nominated for the Golden Voice of Senegal award with the song “Soweto”, written by her father in honour of Nelson Mandela and as an outcry against apartheid. Coumba received worldwide recognition in 1998 after releasing the single “Pata Pata” of her album “Yomalé”, produced by French singer Patrick Bruel. This hit single of the summer ‘98 in Europe awarded her a double gold disc and also went platinum. Her worldwide success has made her a true ambassador of African culture.
Coumba Gawlo received the “Bideew” (star in Wolof), an award for the most talented Seneglese artists of their time. This is how she adds to her titles won with “Yomalé.” Having 4 awards, Coumba Gawlo commented: “these distinctions encourage me to work harder for other distinctions.” She won Best Modern Female Singer, Best Modern Female Album with Dewenety, Best Modern Beach and Best Female Video with “Yomalé”. An engaged performer, she is a member of the “Club des Enfoirés” launched by Coluche, which aims to sing to feed the poor. These days, Coumba works closely with many institutions including UNICEF, Plan International, UNFPA, INTRA HEALTH, UNWOMEN, WORLD VISION, etc., She is a sponsor of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNDP Goodwill Ambassador for the fight against poverty, WORLD VISION Ambassador, UNFPA Champion and more. Her involvement, her commitment in the field and above all her mastery of immigration issues led the UNODC to appoint her, in May 2016, Goodwill Ambassador against smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons. Alongside her music career, Coumba remains available and committed to continuing her work in social and humanitarian activities in Senegal, across Africa and around the world.
Convinced by her aura and influence on leaders and young people, the Japanese NGO ASHINAGA, based in Tokyo, appointed her Goodwill Ambassador to raise awareness about the living conditions of orphaned children in Africa and to promote education, and included her on the NGO's International Advisory Board, making her the 8th person in Africa to be a member of the said Board and the 85th person worldwide.
Coumba Gawlo has been awarded several distinctions and titles, including sponsor of the Albert ROYER Children's Hospital in Fann, Dakar, sponsor of refugees for the Regional Delegation of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNDP Ambassador for the fight against poverty, World Vision Ambassador, sponsor of the first baby of the year in Mboro, Senegal, Youth Ambassador in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
At the age of 27, Coumba Gawlo was also made a Knight of the National Order of the Lion of Senegal Her commitment to support children, women, and the poor led her to collaborate with the UNDP to create an awareness campaign with her music and goodwill at Bouake, the city where confrontations between rebels and government forces took place in Côte d’Ivoire, to play a part in establishing permanent peace between the North and the South. She succeeded in convincing the rebel leaders to lay down their weapons and sign peace agreements.
In March 2010, bemoaning the lack of commitment from the African continent towards the “suffering Haitian people,”, and conscious that music is the best means of communication, Coumba Gawlo put in place “Afrik for Haiti.” She invited the biggest names of African music to participate. Together, they recorded a song written by Lokua Kanza at the request of Coumba Gawlo, with the participation of Oumou Sangaré, Wasis Diop, Sékouba Bambino, Lokua Kanza, Papa Wemba, Alpha Blondy, Youssou Ndour, Omar Pène, Baaba Maal, Aïcha Koné, Idrissa Diop, and Ismaël Lo. Coumba considers this project to be “a symbol to show how, we are able to stand together and make our contribution to the reconstruction of Haiti.”
Invited by TF1 to participate in the “Génération 90” programme, she took the stage at the Palais des Sports, performing in front of thousands in a special musical show that revisited the last decade of the 20th century. A Mega TV show that took place at Bercy, alongside the biggest stars. In March 2016, she set up her media group Go Media in Senegal, comprising a radio station FEM FM, broadcasting on 87.9, with plans for a TV channel, websites and an international magazine; making her the first Senegalese woman to own a media group. In December 2018, Coumba GAWLO released the album “Terrou Waar,” which was ranked among the Top 10 best albums in the world by iTunes in January 2019.
She is also involved in audio-visual production, communications and public relations consultancy, events, humanitarian and social actions through Gawlo Office Médias (GO MEDIA) and the association Lumière pour l'Enfance Coumba-Gawlo, which organises an international event called Le Festival Chant des Linguère, alternating between several African countries. She took advantage of her retirement from the music scene for health reasons to enhance her skills in several areas. This includes taking piano and English language lessons, writing new songs, remotely overseeing her company, Gawlo Office Média/GO MEDIA, and engaging in humanitarian and social initiatives through the Association Lumière pour Enfance Coumba Gawlo/LPE.
VJ joins the Blue Heart campaign by taking part in the July 29 concert at the Sorano theatre, as part of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.
The new generations of singers have succeeded in modernising Africa's musical heritage. VJ, a rising star on the Senegalese hip-hop and RnB scene, is a living proof. In the Senegalese music scene, one young artist is drawing significant attention. With his dance moves, creativity, and freestyle skills, Mister Cardiologue sets the web on fire. VJ, whose real name is Mouhamed Abdoulaye PREIRA, was born on June 7, 2004, in Médina, Dakar. He grew up in the Bopp neighbourhood, with a passion for rap and football. After his studies at the Lycée Seydou Nourou Tall, where he graduated in 2022 at the age of 18. VJ, currently signed to Hoside Studio, continues to make a name for himself through the high quality of his work. He's on all the top trends with his singles: “Au Final”, “Renouveau”, “Fusion”, “Dans tes bras”, etc. : https://bfan.link/en-vrai-1
