STOP HUMAN SLAVERY

When I was a child I didn’t like the word “Stop.” it gave me only bad emotions and had a bad influence on me. Stop shouting Stop laughing Stop playing Stop singing… adults use that word in every situation that they don’t like.

So I decided to live my life differently, and not to do the same thing when I grow up. Then a situation occurred that changed my point of view. I met some guys the same age as me who live and struggle for justice, for peace and for their own rights. They were beaten and arrested. But they never gave up and continued their struggle.

At that time I considered the word “stop” in a new way. They showed me that there are really many bad things that must be stopped, so that we can make our lives and our futures better. The stereotypes and fears that I had in childhood are gone. After that I started using that bad word to build something good and positive. Once when we were discussing with our prep-com what sign we could use to show our attitude to the problem of human slavery, the stop sign immediately came to my mind.

We will use that bad and unlucky word again and again to stop all the bad things that are everywhere in our daily life. So the first step is done; we say “STOP”, then suggest ways for fighting for things to stop. …Say, shout, whisper, or think STOP, and you will join the people who walk along the path of building a new and a better world for humanity.

Gayane Muradyan (Armenia) is a member of the “Invisible Slavery: Human Trafficking in Europe” conference preparatory committee .

“Invisible Slavery: Human Trafficking in Europe” conference was sponsored by European Youth Foundation of the Council of Europe.