 "Photo: Haven Orecchio")
Tarik Abdelqadar and Mark Svensson, Co-chairmen of the Anti-Slavery committee and Student Government officials, were honored at the Rockland County Legislature on Dec. 3 for their efforts to pass Anti-slavery bill, H.R 2522, in New York State.
The Congressional Commission on the Abolition of Modern-Day Slavery Act aims to establish the first United States Commission to battle slavery. Modern day slavery is any act where one person is in control of another, using violence or psychological coercion, involuntary servitude, debt bondage, sexual exploitation or forced marriage.
On his blog, Svensson wrote, “You may or may not be aware, but today there are more than 27 million slaves in the world - more slaves than at any other point in human history. Too many human beings lack the basic principles of freedom of life, principles which our country was founded on. Our committee has begun a letter signing campaign calling for the U.S government to take action."
Legislator Jacques O. D’I. Michel, of district 13 Spring Valley, invited Abdelqadar and Svensson to speak on Nov. 23 at the “Community Informational Meeting,” held at the Finkelstien Memorial Library. At the meeting, the students discussed the prevalence of slavery in a talk entitled “Slavery Now- More Than Ever.”
Their article, “Slavery Now More Than Ever,” was published by the Fellowship of Reconciliation at: www.forpeace.net/blog/ethan-vesely-flad/slavery-now-more-ever.
The committee made many efforts to campaign the bill, including public speeches at SUNY universities, distributing the petition during their visits to various RCC classrooms, and blogging.
On Oct. 6, they travelled to Washington D.C and met with Congressman John Lewis of Georgia at the U.S capitol and presented their campaign.
Mark Svensson and Tarik Abdelqadar hope to present over 100,000 signatures to congress thisspring. The Anti-Slavery act can be signed online at: www.thepetitionsite.com/1/freedomforall
Be the first to comment on this article!