From Thessaloniki to Stockholm, thousands walked for freedom in Europe

The problem of modern slavery was made visible in Bournemouth, Stuttgart, Valencia, Bern, Innsbruck, Sofia, Copenhagen, and dozens of other cities.

Evangelical Focus

17 OCTOBER 2022 · 11:20 CET

The Walk For Freedom 2022 in Thessaloniki, Greece. / Photo: <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/argyriosphoto">A. Georgiadis</a>,
The Walk For Freedom 2022 in Thessaloniki, Greece. / Photo: A. Georgiadis

Thousands in Europe and elsewhere joined the annual silent march through their cities to make the often hidden reality of modern slavery visible to passersby.

Those joining the #WalkForFreedom marches, walked in line through their city centre, wearing in black and with signs displaying messages such as “I walk for the 6-year-old forced to beg on streets”, “I walk for the 70-year-old woman trapped in domestic servitude” or “Abolish slavery, everywhere, forever”.

In Europe, people and organisations joining the walk in the last years have underlined the serious problem of forced prostitution and other forms of sexual exploitation.

A21, a global organisation with a Christian ethos that started the initiative over a decade ago, encouraged people to “show up locally, to have a global impact”. Cities in countries such as Mexico, Nigeria South Africa and India also organised walks.  

See below a summary of cities in Europe which organised Walks for Freedom on Saturday 15 October 2022.

In Greece, Thessaloniki saw activists walk near the sea.

In Bulgaria, dozens walked through Sofia.

In Austria, the walk was seen on the streets of Innsbruck.

In Germany, one of the walks against modern slavery was organised in Stuttgart.

In Switzerland, around 100 walked through Bern.

In Sweden, walks were organised in 9 cities, including Stockholm, Göteborg and Malmö.

In Denmark, as in other places, events to address the issue were held before starting the walk, as here in Copenhagen.

In England, Bournemouth, Liverpool and London, were among the cities participating.

In Spain, there were walks in 18 cities, including Madrid, Barcelona, Zaragoza, Valencia, Murcia. Spain is the country in Europe with highest rates of sexual exploitation.

 

In Scotland, there were walks both in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

 

Published in: Evangelical Focus - europe - From Thessaloniki to Stockholm, thousands walked for freedom in Europe

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