Hundreds march to end human trafficking

by Tobin Ng Clad in black and marching silently in single file, the demonstrators filled the streets of downtown Ottawa to raise awareness about modern-day slavery. Over 200 Ottawans walked from city hall to Parliament Hill during the yearly Walk for Freedom on Saturday. Brunette Katombe, who also took part in the walk last year, said the event is an effective way to draw the attention of passersby. “You can’t help but take a look and wonder what’s going on,” said Katombe. “That’s the whole point of the walk, to get the conversation starting on human trafficking.” The campaign is run by A21, a non-profit organization that operates around the world to fight human trafficking by providing services for victims and educating the public. This is the third year that Hillsong Ottawa, a local church, has partnered with A21 to bring the event to Ottawa. “I think a lot of people don’t realize how apparent and how on the rise slavery is today,” said Caleb Davidson, a key organizer of the event and a lead pastor at Hillsong Ottawa. “We’re helping to raise a voice around that and to raise finances to continue to fight it on the front lines.” [...]