Minsk – On 16 July the second Learn.Act.Share youth summer camp kicked off near Minsk, in the very centre of Belarus, uniting 18 active young people from different regions in their desire to LEARN about the human trafficking problem and then ACT and SHARE the knowledge in their communities.

The six-day summer camp offers participants interactive and informative workshops, trainings and master-classes to familiarize them with human trafficking and related issues and on how to identify signs of human trafficking and what tools to use that make a difference in combatting such crimes.

The young people will end up devising their own preventive initiatives and mini-projects that they will implement throughout the coming year with expert support from IOM and several other partners from different UN and government agencies, NGOs and private companies. Moreover, they will join last year’s summer camp alumni in establishing a network of young agents in the region who contribute to the fight against modern slavery.

“In my application form I specified that I’m eager to learn how I can personally contribute to the prevention of human trafficking. I’m a very active person and I believe I will share the acquired knowledge with my peers,” said Margarita Goldenkova, one of the participants, after the first very dynamic and intensive camp day.

Zeynal Hajiyev, IOM Minsk Chief of Mission highlighted the importance of the partnership saying, “It’s the second time we are organizing such a camp together with partners from the government and UN agencies, public associations and private campaigns. We are glad that this year the list of partners has expanded. IOM always emphasizes the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to addressing human trafficking.”

Vladimir Emelyanov, the representative of the Ministry of the Interior admitted the importance of joint efforts and recognized the role of active youth “It’s better to prevent the problem than to solve it. This camp focuses exactly on prevention. Young leaders, the participants of the summer camp, will be able to tell their peers about human trafficking and its dangers and consequences.”

The youth summer camp is tailored to the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, and is the part of the IOM X Belarus campaign launched together with the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Belarus with the support of USAID.

The IOM-led initiative is supported by the Ministries of the Interior and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, UN agencies, private companies, NGOs, crowdfunding platform Talaka, the British Embassy in Minsk, USAID, and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Daily video and photo updates will be available here 
For more information please contact Olga Borzenkova at IOM Belarus, Tel: +375 17 2882742. Email: oborzenkova@iom.int