Dear friends and supporters of STOP,

Many of you will be traveling abroad this summer. While enjoying your vacations, please keep in mind that appearances can be deceiving, and that behind the charming smile of a local youth a sordid reality may lurk.

Recent events:

o In June Celhia was received in Paris by Rama Yade, the Secretary of State in charge of foreign affairs and human rights, who promised to do all she could to help our struggle against human trafficking.

o While in Paris Celhia also gave a presentation at the National Assembly to an informal gathering of several Members of Parliament, organized by Henriette Martinez, the deputy the Hautes-Alpes region and a staunch ally of STOP. During the lively discussion which followed Celhia’s speech, it was decided that an official meeting should be held in October or November with the aim of gaining greater publicity for STOP and of raising funds (the large donation promised by the Canadian company Gleau won’t arrive until 2009). All in all, the impromptu meeting at the National Assembly was a great success, and has laid the groundwork for future cooperation with MPs and their regions.

o Pierre Caro, a loyal and longtime supporter of STOP, has offered us the use of his stand at the third World Forum on Human Rights. The forum will be held in Nantes from June 30 th -July 3 rd at the Cite Internationale des Congres, Nantes Metropole. If you live in or near Nantes, or will be in the area, try to stop by.

In good news:

o Celhia’s book, A Visa To Hell , has just been published in Brazil.

o The updated version of our website is almost complete, and should be operational shortly.

In bad news:

o The U.S. State Department has just published its 8 th annual report on human trafficking. 170 countries are listed. According to the report, 12.3 million people are victims of human trafficking, 80% of whom are young women and 50% of whom are minors. The majority are victims of sexual enslavement. The report reaffirms that human trafficking is a global problem, and reveals that the rate of HIV/AIDS among its victims is alarming.

o In Bosnia, where STOP plans on opening a Support Center, the number of victims has dramatically increased over the past several years. The Bosnian government, despite having ratified the anti-human trafficking treaty, has yet to implement even the minimum of measures to combat the sex slave trade. Traffickers are thus able to operate freely, making Bosnia one of the principal countries of both origin and destination in human trafficking.

We at STOP thank you for all of your support, and wish you a wonderful summer.