MTV EXIT Live in Manila, Philippines

From Business World:

To raise awareness and increase prevention of human trafficking, MTV Networks has joined forces with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) to hold a concert in Manila this Saturday night at the SM Mall of Asia concert grounds in Pasay City.

The free outdoor concert will be headlined by Korean pop sensation Jay Park, previously known as the leader of Korean boy band 2PM.

Actor and TV host Dingdong Dantes will also appear as MTV’s newest celebrity ambassador to help spread the word about the MTV EXIT campaign.

“As a member of the local entertainment industry, I may become helpful in this campaign by enlightening those Filipinos who are not yet aware of what is happening,” Mr. Dantes said in his speech during the concert’s press conference last week.

Mr. Dantes will also host a TV special called Enslaved: An MTV EXIT Special. The 30-minute documentary is the third in a 12-part series that MTV produced in Asia.

It will give audiences a glimpse into human trafficking and exploitation in the Philippines, telling the experiences of abuse and exploitation of four human trafficking survivors, and highlighting what everyone can do to help end this crime. Enslaved: An MTV EXIT Special will be aired on Nov. 27, 9:55 p.m. on GMA News TV. 

Read more

Are you going to this event?  If so get in touch to do a writeup!  Reach us at info@traffickingproject.org.

Beat Down Human Trafficking- Week #5

Here's another track from the album Beat Down Human Trafficking!

We will be releasing a new song off the album each Friday so be sure to check back next week for more.  And if you like what you hear share it with your friends and help us raise awareness.

Click to Download: J Nice- The Definition

Beat Down Human Trafficking is a hip-hop album about modern day slavery. 

During a 10-month Fulbright grant in the Philippines in 2007 to study the NGO response to human trafficking, Justin Hakuta decided he wanted to do something other than write a research paper. Hakuta was spending his days interviewing survivors of forced prostitution, domestic slavery and forced labor and learning about the economic, cultural and political factors that allow trafficking to flourish. Wanting to find a personal, accessible way to insert trafficking into the mainstream consciousness, Hakuta started recording Beat Down in the Spring of 2007.

Happy Friday! 

The HTP Team
 

Beat Down Human Trafficking- Week #4

Here's another track from the album Beat Down Human Trafficking!

We will be releasing a new song off the album each Friday so be sure to check back next week for more.  And if you like what you hear share it with your friends and help us raise awareness.

Click to Download: J Nice- Human Trafficking Pt II

Beat Down Human Trafficking is a hip-hop album about modern day slavery. 

During a 10-month Fulbright grant in the Philippines in 2007 to study the NGO response to human trafficking, Justin Hakuta decided he wanted to do something other than write a research paper. Hakuta was spending his days interviewing survivors of forced prostitution, domestic slavery and forced labor and learning about the economic, cultural and political factors that allow trafficking to flourish. Wanting to find a personal, accessible way to insert trafficking into the mainstream consciousness, Hakuta started recording Beat Down in the Spring of 2007.

Happy Friday! 

The HTP Team
 

Emmanuel Jal - Warchild

Emmanuel Jal, child-soldier of Sudan turned Hip-Hop artist, has incorporated his experiences into his album "Warchild," released on May 13, 2008. The inspirations for the 13 songs on "Warchild" are rooted in Jal's impossible past.

Learn more about Emmanuel

Beat Down Human Trafficking- Week #3

Here's another track from the album Beat Down Human Trafficking!

We will be releasing a new song off the album each Friday so be sure to check back next week for more.  And if you like what you hear share it with your friends and help us raise awareness.

Click to Download: J Nice- Set Up Shop

Beat Down Human Trafficking is a hip-hop album about modern day slavery. 

During a 10-month Fulbright grant in the Philippines in 2007 to study the NGO response to human trafficking, Justin Hakuta decided he wanted to do something other than write a research paper. Hakuta was spending his days interviewing survivors of forced prostitution, domestic slavery and forced labor and learning about the economic, cultural and political factors that allow trafficking to flourish. Wanting to find a personal, accessible way to insert trafficking into the mainstream consciousness, Hakuta started recording Beat Down in the Spring of 2007.

Happy Friday! 

The HTP Team
 

Launch: The mtvU Against Our Will Campaign

From mtvU:

The mtvU Against Our Will Campaign was launched in September 2011 in partnership with Free the Slaves, GEMS, and Polaris Project. The campaign amplifies America's college students' efforts to end modern-day slavery in the U.S., and empowers them to learn more and get involved. The name mtvU's Against Our Will Campaign, reflects the simple fact that this violation of our most basic human rights is against the will of the college students mobilizing around the issue, against our will as a free society, and against the will of those trapped in modern-day slavery.

Learn more about the Against Our Will Campaign

Beat Down Human Trafficking- Week #2

Here's another track from the album Beat Down Human Trafficking! 

We will be releasing a new song off the album each Friday so be sure to check back next week for more.  And if you like what you hear share it with your friends and help us raise awareness.

Click to Download: J Nice ft. Meryl- Human Trafficking

Beat Down Human Trafficking is a hip-hop album about modern day slavery. 

During a 10-month Fulbright grant in the Philippines in 2007 to study the NGO response to human trafficking, Justin Hakuta decided he wanted to do something other than write a research paper. Hakuta was spending his days interviewing survivors of forced prostitution, domestic slavery and forced labor and learning about the economic, cultural and political factors that allow trafficking to flourish. Wanting to find a personal, accessible way to insert trafficking into the mainstream consciousness, Hakuta started recording Beat Down in the Spring of 2007.

More to come!

The HTP Team

Beat Down Human Trafficking- The Definition

The first single from the album Beat Down Human Trafficking.

Click to Download: J Nice- The Definition

More to come!

Happy Friday,

The HTP Team

Music and Pimp Culture

By Rachel Lloyd:

Recently, Jay-Z, the man who created an anthem which shamelessly glorified pimp culture, "Big Pimpin", acknowledged his own conflicted feelings about that song to the Wall Street Journal. "It was like, I can't believe I said that. And kept saying it. What kind of animal would say this sort of thing? Reading it is really harsh," said the rapper. Yeah, listening to it come on in a club and see the entire crowd go wild and singing along has been really harsh too Jay.

Full disclosure, I'm a Jay-Z fan and I have been since his first album Reasonable Doubt. Yet as a survivor of the commercial sex industry and as an advocate for exploited and trafficked girls it's hard to not feel some shame for liking an artist who has contributed his fair share of misogynistic lyrics and who has helped equate the concept of pimping with masculinity and 'swagga.'

I'm not alone with these conflicted feelings about Jay-Z or hip-hop in general. For those of us who grew up listening to Public Enemy, Grandmaster Flash, Eric B, and Rakim Mc Lyte and Queen Latifah and who felt that rap told our stories and captured our hearts in a way that nothing else did, hip-hop has been part of the soundtrack of our generation. Yet for those of us, particularly women, who have been impacted by gender-based violence, who've experienced the venom behind the words 'bitch' and 'ho' and who are disgusted by the objectification and sexualization of women and girls in this medium, loving hip-hop presents an uncomfortable contradiction.

For me, the conflicted feelings run deep. For the last 13 years, I've worked with and fought for girls and young women who've experienced violence and oppression at the hands of pimps and johns. And I know first-hand what its like to dance on the stage of a stripclub, be leered over by strange men, and break my 'daddy' off some bread. In short, I've been one of the girls that are alternately scorned and objectified in the lyrics of many rap songs.

Read Rachel Lloyd's full article here.

Rachel Lloyd is the founder of GEMS.

*****************************

Rachel Lloyd's piece raises a number of important points and questions, most without easy answers. Creating a world without sex trafficking or any form of slavery will take more than laws, arrests, prosecutions, and victim services. It will take evaluating the root causes and the ways that we are complicit, as individuals and as societies, in a world that tolerates and even promotes slavery. As Lloyd notes, that includes examining the "glorification of pimp culture" in music, art, and film.

Lloyd goes on to write, "I don't know how much Jay-Z understands the realities of pimps and the harm that's done to girls and young women every day in this country by pimps and traffickers. I don't know how much he feels that he's played some role in the acceptance and glorification of pimping within our culture and how committed he is to perhaps trying to take responsibility for that. But his acknowledgment that he feels a level of shame about this song is a start towards having a balanced conversation about hip-hop's role in this issue."

Obviously this is a two-way street, and as music consumers we bear some responsibility for supporting songs that glamorize pimps and that objectify women and girls. Still, like Lloyd I would argue that if established artists and musicians began the learning about the realities of trafficking and start self-reflecting on their roles and actions, both positive and negative, we will have a strong first step.

International Orchestra for Freedom: 'Abandoning Silence' Concert Series

International Orchestra for Freedom 'Abandoning Silence' Concert Series

William Kunhardt conductor
Thomas Carroll cello
International Orchestra for Freedom
Purna Sen Head of Human Rights at The Commonwealth Secretariat

Programme:
Siddique: Prayer For Humanity (world premiere)
Gulda: Cello Concerto
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.6 'Pathétique'

'Abandoning Silence' is a dynamic new concert series presented by The Human Culture Collective, which aims to raise awareness to human trafficking through orchestral music, and is performed by the dynamic International Orchestra for Freedom, a group of some of the most talented young professional musicians from across the UK.

'Prayer for Humanity' composed by Julene Siddique is a symphonic narration of human rights and the honouring of universal values. This beautiful, innovative and powerful new commission receives its debut performance.

Renowned virtuoso cellist Thomas Carroll performs Friedrich Gulda's innovative and jazzy Cello Concerto, and Tchaikovsky's infamous final symphony, the 'Pathétique', completes the programme.

Tickets*:
£25, £20, £15, £12, £8

To buy tickets visit here or here.

About the International Orchestra for Freedom:

The International Orchestra for Freedom is one of the most exciting orchestras on the planet. It is the voice of an entire generation of young professional artists, filled with passion, commitment and stunning creativity. Far beyond that however, the orchestra is a force for international social change. Its mission is to travel the world, along with its global partners, performing in the most iconic venues and working in communities, with corporations, global leaders and world governments. Its goal: To mobilise the world in facing one of the greatest atrocities imaginable – Human trafficking.

Join IJM for the 5 Weeks For Freedom Finale Event in Buffalo Today

The International Justice Mission wraps up their 5 Weeks For Freedom Tour in Buffalo, New York at the Town Ballroom at 7:00 pm today. Join us! HTP will be there!

From the IJM:

Freedom Night: Special Finale Concert with Green River Ordinance and Enric Sifa

Join us for our grand finale event—the conclusion of 5 Weeks for Freedom — with performances by critically acclaimed Green River Ordinance – whose hit singles “Come On” and “On Your Own” have peaked in the radio top 40 charts – and a performance by Rwandan-born singer/songwriter Enric Sifa.

You’ll also have the opportunity to meet the 5 Weeks for Freedom riders as they conclude their 1800 mile bicycle tour, and participate in an exclusive screening of IJM’s inspiring new documentary At the End of Slavery (featuring music by Green River Ordinance and Enric Sifa) as we broadcast live from the event to kick off our global Weekend to End Slavery. Don’t miss this FREE event! Space is limited, so register today!

About 5 Weeks For Freedom:

Stop Injustice: 5 Weeks for Freedom is a major awareness and advocacy campaign to support International Justice Mission’s work and give a voice to victims of modern-day slavery and other forms of injustice. A team of ordinary people is giving up 5 weeks to cycle 1800 miles of the Underground Railroad – a route that reminds us that change happens when ordinary people do what they can to stop injustice, that the evil of slavery has been defeated once, and that, together, we can do it again. Get Involved »

Over the 5 weeks of the campaign – June 28 to July 31, every major city along the tour route will host events featuring music, celebrities, the tour riders and more, to raise awareness of modern-day slavery and other forms of violent oppression – and empower people to take action to stop injustice.

The cycling tour is led by Venture Expeditions, a non-profit organization committed to mobilizing support for humanitarian work through major cycling and climbing tours.

There will also be an Advocacy Training in Buffalo on Saturday from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at the Eastern Hills Wesleyan Church. This event is also free!

Check out their website and register for the events here!

Emmanuel Jal: The music of a war child

For five years, young Emmanuel Jal fought as a child soldier in the Sudan. Rescued by an aid worker, he's become an international hip-hop star and an activist for kids in war zones. In words and lyrics, he tells the story of his amazing life.



Learn more about Emmanuel Jal

MTV EXIT & The Killers: Human Trafficking Music Video

The MTV EXIT Campaign has been working with The Killers on a follow up to last year's multiple award-winning music video collaboration between MTV EXIT and Radiohead for their track All I Need from the In Rainbows album.

A new video has been produced for The Killers' track Goodnight, Travel Well from the band's third studio album, Day & Age. Directed by David Slade (30 Days of Night, Hard Candy) and produced by Anonymous Content in Los Angeles, the video is a hard hitting view of trafficking for sexual exploitation.

Visit MTV Exit here

War Child: "I Got Soul" by the Young Soul Rebels

About the Music
Official video for 'I Got Soul' - War Child's single recorded by the 'Young Soul Rebels'

The track, a new, re-written version of the stirring Killers anthem "All These Things That I've Done", will be released on October 19th on Island Records. Proceeds go to help War Child's vital work protecting children from the brutal effects of war.

The Young Soul Rebels are:
N-Dubz
Pixie Lott
Tinchy Stryder
Frankmusik
V.V. Brown
Kid British
Chipmunk
Mpho
McLean
Ironik
Domino Go
Bashy
Egypt
London Community Gospel Choir

About War Child
War Child International is a network of independent organisations, working across the world to help children affected by war.

War Child was founded upon a fundamental goal: to advance the cause of peace through investing hope in the lives of children caught up in the horrors of war.

More info on War Child

Video by The Killers now available

From UTalkMartketing.com:

The Killers release video to highlight human trafficking issue

The Killers have partnered with UNICEF and USAID to produce a disturbing music video that dramatically highlights the dangers and impact of trafficking for sexual exploitation, particularly for young women.

The video, for the band’s track ‘Goodnight, Travel Well’ from the album ‘Day & Age’ has been created in collaboration, MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking) and follows a similar collaboration between the broadcaster and Radiohead.

Importantly for marketers, the music video represents an innovative and creative way to fuse musical content with pro-social messaging.

The ‘Goodnight, Travel Well’ video has been released globally across all of MTV’s platforms in 168 countries. It has the potential to reach more than 500 million households worldwide.

It has also clocked up over 80,000 views on Unicef’s official YouTube channel.

"We are deeply shocked and appalled that women and children are forced into such exploitative situations. We hope that through MTV's efforts and this powerful video that millions of people across the world learn about this tragic form of modern-day slavery,” said The Killers.

The Killers are bringing critical human trafficking messages to a global audience, said Olivier Carduner, USAID’s Regional Mission Director for Asia.

“By using a variety of mediums – music videos, anime, film, and online content – as well as live concerts, we are reaching vast numbers of young people, those most at risk of being trafficked,” he added.

“This campaign capitalizes on The Killers’ and other bands’ and movie stars’ images and MTV’s brand appeal to transform people’s views about trafficking and provide a platform for NGOs, governments and law enforcement agencies to prevent trafficking and assist victims.”

The’Goodnight, Travel Well’ video was developed by Australian advertising agency CRC, with support also provided by UK music consultancy Huge Music.

It provides insight into the realities of trafficking, in particular the trafficking of children and adolescents into forced prostitution, and provides a link to information about how people can help to end exploitation and trafficking.

Catch it by watching it below.



I chose the UTalkMarketing article as opposed to the UNICEF release, MTV release or Killers webpage because this article highlights just how many sectors pay attention to social messaging through collaboration between private companies, international organizations and musical artists. 'Goodnight, Travel Well' is an excellent example of this type of collaboration, and the imagery is quite disturbing.

This article is already outdated, however. Youtube shows there has been over 99,000 hits now!

Music Video: Blood Into Gold - Peter Buffett featuring Akon

Press Release:

Blood Into Gold is the compelling new song from Peter Buffett featuring Akon, pinpointing the issue of human trafficking and slavery. The poignant video, produced by UNICEF, is a powerful visual representation of the songs message, utilizing moving images and video from around the world that depict the severity of this issue. As a complementary advocacy tool to the song, the hope of the video is to call attention to the issue and inspire others to help bring an end to the atrocities associated with human trafficking.

Visit istheresomethingicando.com for more info.

Buy the song in the iTunes store here

Peter Buffett and Akon Debut “Blood Into Gold” at the United Nations “Breaking the Silence, Beating the Drum” Against Slave Trade Commemoration Event

New York, NY, March 12th, 2009 -- In observance of the 2009 Commemoration of the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade on the 25th of March, Emmy-award winning musician and philanthropist Peter Buffett, and R&B/pop star Akon will publicly debut an issue-inspired song, “Blood Into Gold”, with a live performance at a star-studded cultural evening and concert in the United Nation’s General Assembly Hall.

Peter Buffett was asked by non-profit organization, the Culture Project, to write the song specifically for this commemoration. Akon, who has previously collaborated with Peter, loaned his voice and production expertise on “Blood Into Gold”. All proceeds from the download of the single will go to an organization whose purpose is to educate and bring an end to human trafficking worldwide. A poignant video to accompany the song is currently in production.



For the first time at the United Nations, the evening concert, will bring together: Akon (Senegal/USA) & Peter Buffett (USA); Mezzo-Soprano Audrey Babcock (USA); Soprano Angela Brown (USA); The Blind Boys of Alabama (USA); Izaline Calister (Curacao/The Netherlands); Toumani Diabaté (Mali); Danny Glover (USA); Gilberto Gil (Brazil); Bill T. Jones (USA); Sarah Jones (USA); Salif Keita (Mali) and his Band; Ladysmith Black Mambazo (South Africa); Emeline Michel (Haiti); The Marley Brothers (Jamaica); CCH Pounder (Guyana/USA/Senegal); Stephanie Benson (Ghana); Phylicia Rashad (USA); Tenor Noah Stewart (USA); Randy Weston (USA) and his Quintet; Choreographer Gabri Christa (Curacao/The Netherlands) and others. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and General Assembly President Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann will deliver testimonies at the concert and pre-taped testimonials from Nelson Mandela and Muhammad Ali will be broadcasted.

The concert is being produced by the Culture Project. Legendary music producer, Nile Rodgers, will be the concert’s music director.

Organized around the theme “Breaking the Silence, Beating the Drum”, the concert is part of a series of events celebrating the triumph of the spirit over slavery and human trafficking. This year’s theme was chosen because drums are traditionally used throughout the world, especially in Africa, to send a loud message. In this case, drums will serve to remind all of the causes, consequences and lessons of the transatlantic slave trade, and of the dangers of racism and prejudice. (www.un.org/en/slavery).

A press conference is scheduled for March 25 at 1pm in Room 226 of the UN Secretariat with Kiyo Akasaka, UN Under Secretary-General for the Department of Public Information, Peter Buffett, Akon, Salif Keita, Gilberto Gil and Emeline Michel [for more information, contact Paulina Kubiak at kubiakp@un.org].

Peter Buffett and Akon¹s social action website, IsThereSomethingICanDo.com, will re-launch on March 25th to coincide with the release of “Blood Into Gold.” Powered by YourCause.com, the leading cause-focused social networking site, the site is an online destination where users can get involved, share personal experiences in making a difference, and meet others with common goals and a passion for change. Spotlighting a new social cause of worldwide concern monthly, April will bring much-needed attention to human trafficking as the featured subject with more to come.

About Peter Buffett:
Emmy Award-winning musician Peter Buffett’s career spans more than 28 years. He is the creative mind behind many of the original MTV bumpers of the ‘80s, and the climactic crescendos in the memorable “Fire Dance” scene in 1990’s Oscar winning film Dances With Wolves. While Peter has remained behind the scenes as a composer of jingles, movie soundtracks, and atmospheric sound collections for the grand majority if his career, he began experimenting with vocals and a more eclectic pop/rock sound in recent years. His music combines elements of soft and progressive rock with a contemporary vocal sound, channeling the unique pop sensibilities of Beck and Teenage Fan Club, the weightless harmonies of Simon & Garfunkel, and hints of the mysterious and free-spirited Pink Floyd and Alan Parsons Project. Peter’s lyrics resonate his passion for social change and echo the message he shares as a noted philanthropist.

About Akon:
The son of accomplished jazz musician Mor Thiam, Akon was introduced to varied musical styles early on, and his three full-length albums for Universal, ‘Trouble,’ ‘Konvicted,’ and ‘Freedom’ are a hybrid of rap and silky R&B vocals. His multifaceted sensibilities and popular club anthems have launched him to international success, with four 2008 GRAMMY nominations and over 8 million records sold.

Media Accreditation
Journalists with valid UN grounds passes will be allowed entry to all the events, based on space availability. Journalists not accredited at the United Nations should apply for accreditation at http://www.un.org/media/accreditation/form/myform.asp

Press Contact for UN:
Paulina Kubiak
+1-212-963-6936 T
kubiakp@un.org

Press Contact for Peter Buffett:
Vera Sheps
+1-646-613-1101 T
vera@twoshepsthatpass.com

Relevant Links:
www.peterbuffett.com
www.istheresomethingicando.com
www.akononline.com
www.cultureproject.org
www.un.org

Redemption

Old pirates, yes, they rob I, sold I to the merchant ships...

A Music Video on Human Trafficking in the Philippines

In partnership with the Visayan Forum Foundation.

From Reuters:

Russian pop star Valeriya says she is drawing on her experience as a battered wife and "slave" to help migrant workers break free of sexual exploitation and forced labor in her homeland.

Valeriya was formally named on Tuesday as goodwill envoy for the Russian Federation on behalf of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), an agency she has teamed up with for the past year to combat human trafficking.

"I meet and talk to these people, I am not a professional psychologist but I am sure I can help people with my own experience as an ex-victim of slavery. I suffered a lot of domestic violence," the blonde 40-year-old told a news briefing.

"I was forced to work for a man, my (former) husband, who treated me like a slave. So I feel I know the subject maybe even more than many others and am ready to help people with all my heart," she said.

Valeriya -- who only goes by her first name -- has sold 100 million CDs. She is entering the British music market, where she has been dubbed the Russian Madonna, with an English version of her album "Out of Control".

Her anti-trafficking clips already appear on Russian television and she plans to dedicate some of her concerts around Europe next year to raising public awareness of the problem.

"This evil exists... it is among us," she said.

"Sometimes we artists, actors and musicians are able to bring more public attention to a problem than officials or politicians. We speak the language of emotions and feelings."

Russia has become an attractive destination for millions of migrants from neighboring countries looking for better opportunities, according to the IOM. The Geneva-based agency says that it has good cooperation with the Russian authorities.

Some 260 victims of trafficking have been assisted at an IOM rehabilitation centre which opened in 2006 in Moscow. Many are Russians, followed by migrants from Uzbekistan, Moldova and Ukraine.

"The one thing we can say with some certainty is it's the tip of the iceberg," said Richard Danziger, IOM's head of counter-trafficking activities worldwide.

Valeriya recalled her decision to leave her husband of 10 years, who was also her manager, and take her three children to live with her and her parents in their one-bedroom flat.

"He beat me up, cut me with knives and there was sexual exploitation as well -- all kinds of bad things. One day I was fed up and couldn't bear it any longer," she said.

"My main message when I was talking to these poor girls who suffered so badly because of their naivety, was 'Do not feel sorry for yourself. You have to act, you have to rebuild your life. Do not look back and beat yourself up because this is only destructive,'" she said.

(Editing by Mark Trevelyan)