Muslims and Christians Join Hands to Abolish Modern Slavery

The Roman Catholic Church, the Church of England and Al Azhar, the Cairo based seat of Sunni Muslim learning , signed a “Global Freedom Network” agreement this week in Vatican city, for putting an end to modern slavery within twenty years.

In a joint statement, they said that “physical, economic and sexual exploitation of men, women and children” trapped thirty million people worldwide in slavery. A world day of prayer for the victims of slavery would be established and the goal of the initiative would be to “slavery proof their supply chains and investments and to take remedial action if necessary” also urging the governments and companies to do the same.

The initiative was associated with the Walk Free Foundation, a charity founded by Andrew Forrest, an Australian iron ore mining magnate. Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, who signed the agreement for the Vatican, said that the initiative was a rare instance of cooperation between the Catholic and Angelican communities and Al Azhar in Cairo and would help improve the ties between the faiths.

Infoeditor