Freedom From Slavery Forum
The Anti-Modern Slavery Thought Leadership Gathering
The Freedom from Slavery Forum is the hub of the anti-modern slavery movement, galvanizing innovation, collective learning, and collaborative action through strategic partnerships.
The Forum is a neutral, democratic space. As such, the Forum’s leadership, agenda, and priorities emerge from the collective voice of anti-modern slavery actors around the world. Each regional and global Forum curates a neutral space void of agendas and competition that convenes stakeholders from all regions, disciplines, and sectors to collectively strengthen the anti-modern slavery movement.
The Forum is the only anti-modern slavery space that is inclusive of the full diversity of stakeholders such as government leaders and agencies, survivors, businesses and corporations, unions, CSOs, United Nations agencies, regional and local coalitions, researchers, and funders. Survivors and survivor-led organizations are significant contributors to the leadership of the Forums. At the 2023 Global Forum, survivors participated in leading 67% of the events on the Forum agenda. Regional and Global Forums provide participants with opportunities to learn new approaches, strategies, and methods for eradicating modern slavery and to develop significant relationships with other actors in the anti-modern slavery movement.
Notable Organic Outcomes of the 2022-2023 Freedom from Slavery Forum Series
- The emergence of a survivor-founded and led survivor network from the 2022 Freedom from Slavery Africa Regional Forum.
- This Survivor network initiated and co-founded a Survivor Academy to equip survivor leaders and accelerate their growth as professional leaders in the movement.
- The development of a new coalition of CSOs representing Latin America as a result of the 2022 Latin America Regional Forum
- As a result of the overwhelming enthusiasm and engagement generated by the Caribbean Regional Forum, the Jamaican government offered to host the 2024 Caribbean Regional Forum, initiating a new level of collaboration between the Forum and governments.
- After attending the 2023 Global Forum in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Ohio State University’s College of Social Work was inspired to update their curriculum based on their experiences and learnings at the Forum.
- At the Global Forum, survivors participated in leading 67% of the events on the forum agenda.
Announcing the 2024 Freedom from Slavery Regional Forum Calendar
Freedom from Slavery
North America
Regional Forum
Miami, Florida
March 11 – 13, 2024
Freedom from Slavery
Latin America
Regional Forum
Online
April 16-17, 2024
Freedom from Slavery
Caribbean
Regional Forum
Jamaica
May 20-22, 2024
Freedom from Slavery
Europe
Regional Forum
Brussels, Belgium
June 10-12, 2024
Freedom from Slavery
Africa
Regional Forum
Online
July, 23 – 25, 2024
Freedom from Slavery
Asia
Regional Forum
Online
August 6-8, 2024
Freedom from Slavery
Middle East and
North Africa
Regional Forum
(Pending Confirmation)
October, 2024
Final Reports from the 2022-2023 Forum Series
The Freedom from Slavery Forums are a communal space wherein open and honest dialogue helps to backstop individual efforts through collective thinking and problem-solving.
Bukeni Waruzi, Executive Director – Free the Slaves