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In late January 2018, I was requested by the Leadership Team to join the Global Mercy Concern Aotearoa New Zealand Group. My area is to co-ordinate the Displacement of Peoples dimension. The Human Slavery/Trafficking direction links with my having attended the “Tip of the Iceberg" Conference, Wellington, August 2017 on human slavery in Aotearoa New Zealand and a current research interest on the Roman Empire and slavery background to John’s Gospel and the obscuring of slavery in biblical translations and scholarship.
Actions taken:
1. Skype Meeting with Sisters of Mercy involved in ANZRATH (Aotearoa New Zeeland Religious Against Trafficking in Humans) 18 April– Jacqui Miles (Auckland), Natalie Murphy (Wellington) and Mary Hepburn (Dunedin)
Aim: to learn from experiences of Sisters of Mercy involvement in this group and wider groups to inform directions for Mercy Global Action New Zealand and outcomes/follow up from "Tip of the Iceberg" Conference
• Involvement with education/awareness raising e.g. Slavery Free Chocolate; speakers
• Working with like-minded groups
“Tip of the Iceberg" Conference Follow-up.
• One group involved in campaign for ANZ legislation similar to the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015. ANZ where UK was 7-10 years ago.
• Keywords emerging throughout conference were “intentional collaboration” and “partnership”
• Fame Approach (make known and support ethical businesses) rather than Shame approach.
• Encourage support of brands/businesses which can identify the three stages of production: raw materials, inputs production, final stage production
2. Attended ANZRATH initiative: “Modern Slavery, Trafficking & Exploitation in Aotearoa NZ” Speaker: Dr Rebecca Millar, Immigration NZ. 26 April.
My Future Plans:
• 10 May - Offering “Slavery in the New Testament and Modern Human Slavery” evening session through Rosary House (a Mercy Spirituality Centre) in Christchurch,
• Working on the possibility of Dr. Rebecca Millar (see above) giving a session in Christchurch – a group may result from this or from 10 May session. Consulting with a Little Company of Mary Sister re- establishing an ANZRATH group in Christchurch
• Working on submitting a book proposal on with proposed title: Jesus, Justice and the Fourth Gospel in the Three Year Lectionary: Hearing the Cry of the Earth and the Poor. The Roman Empire undergirded by slavery is given attention and links/questions to modern slavery
• Continue the learning curve re-my part in Mercy Global Action. I need to link with the migration/displacement dimension
Messages to: Kathleen Rushton rsm
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