US embassy cable - 02ROME2624

UNCLAS ROME 002624 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR IIP/G/EUR CSIEMONH; IIP/G RCROSS-NAJAFI; IIP/T/GIC 
CLACOVEY; EUR/PPD/RHILTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP PRC 
SUBJECT:   PROGRAM EVALUATION FOR U.S. SPEAKERS WIDNEY 
BROWN, HRW AND KATHRYN MCMAHON, CAST, MAY 14-17, 2002 
(TRACKER NUMBER 15352) 
 
 
1. DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY:   PA ROME BROUGHT TWO U.S. 
SPEAKERS KATHRYN MCMAHON, DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH AND TRAINING, 
COALITION TO ABOLISH SLAVERY & TRAFFICKING (CAST), AND 
WIDNEY BROWN, ADVOCACY DIRECTOR FOR THE WOMEN'S RIGHTS 
DIVISION, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH, TO A CONFERENCE ENTITLED "21ST 
CENTURY SLAVERY - THE HUMAN RIGHTS DIMENSION TO TRAFFICKING 
IN HUMAN BEINGS," HELD MAY 15-16 IN ROME.  THE EVENT WAS 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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SPONSORED BY THE U.S. EMBASSY TO THE HOLY SEE AND A 
CONSORTIUM OF EMBASSIES ACCREDITED TO THE HOLY SEE.  MCMAHON 
WAS ALSO PROGRAMMED IN TURIN, MAY14. 
 
2.   DATES:  MAY 15-16;   3RD QUARTER;  FISCAL YEAR: FY2002. 
 
3. JUSTIFICATION/OBJECTIVE:  THE U.S. EMBASSY TO THE HOLY 
SEE SOUGHT WITH THIS CONFERENCE TO RAISE GLOBAL CONCERN 
ABOUT TRAFFICKING BY BRINGING TOGETHER U.S., ITALIAN AND 
INTERNATIONAL GOVERNMENT AND NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS 
(NGO) REPRESENTATIVES TO DISCUSS THE HUMAN RIGHTS DIMENSION 
OF TRAFFICKING, TO COOPERATE ON LAUNCHING NEW REHABILITATION 
AND PREVENTION PROGRAMS AND TO EXPLORE WAYS TO MORE 
EFFECTIVELY PROVIDE HUMAN RIGHTS ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT TO 
TRAFFICKED PERSONS. 
 
4. MPP UMBRELLA THEMES:  COOPERATION ON GLOBAL ISSUES, 
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY 
 
5. AUDIENCE REACHED:  OVER 400 CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS, 
INCLUDING ITALIAN AND INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERTS; 
POLICY MAKERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS, REPRESENTATIVES 
FROM NGOS, JOURNALISTS, REPRESENTATIVES FROM DIPLOMATIC 
MISSIONS TO THE HOLY SEE, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, 
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE HOLY SEE. 
 
6. RESULT/IMPACT: EXCELLENT.  PA ROME WAS PLEASED TO WORK 
WITH EMBASSY VATICAN IN ITS EFFORTS TO COMBAT TRAFFICKING IN 
PERSONS.  THE CONFERENCE, CO-SPONSORED BY EMBASSY VATICAN, 
OTHER DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS TO THE HOLY SEE AND THE HOLY SEE 
ITSELF, WAS HELD AT THE PONTIFICAL GREGORIAN UNIVERSITY, A 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        ROME  02624  301548Z 
PRESTIGIOUS VATICAN ACADEMIC INSTITUTION IN THE HEART OF 
ROME.  U.S. SPEAKERS WIDNEY BROWN AND KATHRYN MCMAHON EACH 
GAVE PRESENTATIONS TO OVER 100 CONFERENCE ATTENDEES AND, ON 
THE MARGINS OF THE SESSIONS, CONNECTED WITH MOST OF THE OVER 
400 ITALIAN AND INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPANTS.  BOTH BROUGHT A 
VERY PRO-ACTIVE, AMERICAN VIEWPOINT TO THE CONFERENCE.  IN 
HER PRESENTATION, MCMAHON EXPLAINED THE MANY WAYS IN WHICH 
CAST ASSISTS VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING, WHILE BROWN, SPEAKING 
ON "REHABILITATION/REINTEGRATION TO SOCIETY OF TRAFFICKED 
VICTIMS," ADDRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF CHANGING PUBLIC 
OPINION THROUGH EDUCATION AND AWARENESS-RAISING CAMPAIGNS 
WHICH PRESENT TRAFFICKED PERSONS AS VICTIMS OF HUMAN RIGHTS 
VIOLATIONS.  MEDIA COVERAGE WAS EXTENSIVE, INCLUDING OVER 35 
ARTICLES AND INTERVIEWS WITH AMBASSADOR TO THE HOLY SEE 
JAMES NICHOLSON IN THE ITALIAN AND INTERNATIONAL MEDIA. 
MCMAHON ALSO HAD A PROGRAM IN TURIN ON MAY 14, WHERE SHE 
GAVE A PRESENTATION TO "GRUPPO ABELE," AN ITALIAN NGO WHICH 
IS ACTIVE IN THE EFFORT TO PREVENT TRAFFICKING IN HUMAN 
BEINGS AND TO REHABILITATE VICTIMS. 
 
7.  NON USG SOURCES OF IN-COUNTRY FUNDING/IN-KIND SUPPORT: 
THE CO-SPONSORS OFFERED MEALS AND A RECEPTION. 
 
8.  QUALITY OF U.S. OFFICE SUPPORT: GOOD.   DEAN. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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 2002ROME02624 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED