A high level international conference was held today at the Pontifical Gregorian University to mark the 25th anniversary of the Palermo Protocol, to call for renewed global efforts to eradicate human trafficking. The event was co-organized by the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Praeveni Global, the Santa Marta Group, and the Institute of Anthropology of the Pontifical Gregorian University.
High profile speakers, including the Grand Chancellor Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo, the Grand Hospitaller Josef D. Blotz and prominent representatives of governments and international bodies, discussed the urgent need for stronger implementation of existing legal standards and greater resource mobilization to support victims.
Two and a half decades after the adoption of the Protocol, human trafficking continues to grow at an alarming rate. According to the 2023 Global Slavery Index, over 50 million people worldwide are victims of modern slavery. This phenomenon generated approximately $236 billion in criminal profit annually. Tens of thousands of individuals lose their lives each year due to extreme exploitation and forced labour.
In his remarks, the Grand Chancellor reaffirmed the Order of Malta’s long-standing humanitarian commitment, emphasizing that the Palermo Convention, “inspired by the visionary intuition of Giovanni Falcone,” remains one of the cornerstones of multilateral collaboration. However, he warned that worsening global instability is driving trafficking levels to unprecedented heights.
The Grand Chancellor also praised the work of the Order of Malta’s Ambassador to Monitor and Combat trafficking in Persons Michel Veuthey for his strengths in advancing global training and education initiatives, including new collaborations with UNITAR (United Nations Institute for Training and Research). Highlighting the importance of combining legal measures, public awareness, and fundamental ethical principles to uphold human dignity, Ambassador Veuthey emphasized: “Combating human trafficking is not an act of charity but a moral and legal imperative.”
Among the Order’s initiatives in the fight against human trafficking are rehabilitation and shelter programs such as the Bakhita Villa in Lagos, Nigeria, which provides protection, counselling, and reintegration for women and children who have survived trafficking.
Speaking at the Conference, the Grand Hospitaller drew attention to the Order’s mission stating that “the Sovereign Order of Malta plays an important complementary role in advancing the objectives of the Palermo Protocol. Strengthening prevention, protection, and institutional capacity.” To enhance collaboration across protection, persecution, and rehabilitation for victims.
Special attention was given to the work of CISOM, the Italian Relief Corps of the Order of Malta, and its close cooperation with the Italian Government in the management of migration flows. Through the continuous deployment of doctors and nurses in five coastal areas, operating around the clock, CISOM provides life-saving assistance to tens of thousands of people at sea, reminding participants that human dignity must remain at the centre of all responses.
