NEWS

Talitha Kum Coordination Meeting

Rome, Italy – From 19-23 June 2017, Talitha Kum held its first International Coordination Committee meeting at its headquarters in Rome. The continental coordinators and leaders of Talitha Kum Rome met to discuss international collaboration and growth. The participants were Sr. Claudette Bastien, CATHII network, Canada, Sr. Ann Oesterreich, USCSAHT, the United States, Sr. Imelda Poole, Renate- European Network, Albania, Sr. Patricia Ebegbulem, Talitha Kum Africa, Nigeria, Sr. Adel Abamo, Talitha Kum Asia, Philippines, Sr. Noelene Simmons, ACRATH, Australia, Sr. Carmela Gibaja, Talitha Kum América Latina, Sr. Gabriella Bottani, Talitha Kum Rome, Italy, Sr. Florence de la Villeon, Migrants Network of the UISG, Italy, and Sr. Patricia Murray, executive secretary of the UISG, Italy.

This conference aimed to facilitate greater collaboration in the Talitha Kum networks at the regional and global level, by defining the international role of the Committee, improving a collective database, and preparing for the 10 year anniversary of Talitha Kum in 2019. The participants met with partner organizations: the Section for Migrants and Refugees of the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development, the Section for Women in the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life, Caritas Internationalis/COATNET, the director of the Catholic Sisters Initiative at the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, ambassadors to the Holy See, and specialists from the Pontifical Universities. The sisters also met with Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, special rapporteur to the United Nations on trafficked persons.

The International Coordination Committee meeting was an important milestone for strengthening collaboration among grassroots organizations in source, transit and destination countries of trafficking in persons.