ABOUT THE EVENT:

This event is being held, with the support of several impassioned sponsors, to raise awareness of the devastating reality of Global Child Trafficking.  Another key goal of this event is to raise funds to support the efforts of two non-profit organizations working to address this problem: Redlight Children and Thao Dan.

The RedLight Children Campaign aims to eradicate all forms of child sexual exploitation, targeting the demand for this global epidemic. The film Holly, originally released in November, 2007, utilizes the power of mass media to effectuate social awareness and change. To date, RedLight Children has helped promote Holly screenings in dozens of cities around the country, organizing Q&As with leading trafficking experts, socially responsible corporations, and celebrities.  RedLight Children will continue raising awareness and inciting activism in conjunction with its partner organization, the Somaly Mam Foundation. The latter rescues, rehabilitates, and supports victims of this worldwide atrocity, inspired by ex-victim, leading activist, and Nobel Prize Nominee Somaly Mam.

Thao Dan is a social services organization based in Vietnam which aims to empower, support, and protect the rights of street children living in Ho Chi Minh City.  Thao Dan creates opportunities for these children to reintegrate into family and society and works to promote respect and implementation of these children’s rights.  In doing so, this organization protects the rights of children already victimized by trafficking as well as children who have escaped this fate thus far.

The evening will include fine food, delicious cocktails and mingling, and will feature a series of noted speakers, brief visual presentations, and a very special music performance by NYC based recording artist Lucy Woodward and Grammy Nominated Ed Bennett. Throughout the evening there will be an ongoing silent auction which will include beautiful and touching artwork produced by Vietnamese children living on the streets.  The proceeds from the artwork sales will go directly back to Thao Dan for the benefit of these children.

This will be an exclusive event, attended by multiple high-profile media outlets. We anticipate press coverage, as well as the attendance of various public, government, and celebrity figures, all of whom share great concern over this growing global travesty.