Today, for the third year in a row, a Walk for Freedom will be held at Mount Maunganui. A Walk for Freedom will also be held in Whakatane.

The three kilometre Mount walk and two kilometre Whakatane walk will be two of the first of 500 walks kicking off around the world today, held to raise awareness that slavery and human trafficking still exists.

Participants usually wear an A21 or black tee shirt, and walk silently in single file.

Walk for Freedom is a global fundraising and awareness event, rallying tens of thousands of people, taking millions of steps, in hundreds of cities all over the world. Human trafficking in the 21^st century takes many forms- sex trafficking, forced labour, bonded labour, involuntary domestic servitude, and child soldiers.

'We walk to disrupt the existence of slavery, shaking its very foundation with each step,” says an A21 spokesperson.

A21 is a non-profit organisation, ‘abolitionists of the 21^st century', who work to rescue people from bondage and slavery and disrupt the demand for slaves. The organisation operates in 14 locations across the globe including Australia, Bulgaria, Denmark, Greece, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, South Africa, Thailand, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States.

'There are 45 million people held in various forms of slavery all around the world,” says Edmond Vanderpuye. 'Slavery was supposed to have ended with the UN declaration in 1948.”

Edmond is the CEO of International Needs (I.N) Network Ghana, and was invited here last year by International Needs NZ which has its NZ office in Tauranga.

The I.N Network in Ghana established a project to rescue children who were exploited in fishing.

The 1926 Slavery Convention or the Convention to Suppress the Slave Trade and Slavery was an international treaty created under the auspices of the League of Nations and first signed on September 25 1926. As of 2013, 99 countries have signed to commit to the convention, with New Zealand signing in 1953.

'However, there are many more slaves today than at any time in the history of the world,” says Edmond.

'In very subtle ways, modern day slavery is perpetrated. The main ingredients are really this, if any human being acquires another human being whether by outright purchase, by coercion or by deception; controls that individual, denies them the opportunity of freedom of right, and exploits their labour for personal gain; it amounts to slavery.

'These were the elements when you look at the transatlantic slave trade. When you see these elements happening in our world today, you can't help but come to the sad conclusion that slavery is still existent, and very present in our world today.”

Mount Maunganui Walk for Freedom participants

The Mount Maunganui Walk for Freedom has a sign in time of 10am with the walk commencing at 10.30am, from Banks Reserve in Banks Ave, through downtown Mount Maunganui, over to Mount Main Beach, and then back via Pilot Bay.

Free parking is available on the surrounding streets, but participants are encouraged to car pool or take public transport where possible. Registration tables will be set up in Banks Reserve.

The 3km walk is pram and wheelchair friendly but non-service dogs are not allowed. Marshals will be posted along the route to direct walkers and to ensure safety with road crossings. Participants are reminded to wear sunscreen.

The Whakatane Walk for Freedom also starts at 10am with registrations at the Mataatua Reserve in Muriwai Drive, Whakatane. There will be food and coffee available, and Ngaariki Muru will be providing live music. The walk begins at 10.30am.

More information is available about the A21 Walk for Freedom Mount Maunganui on their Facebook page and the A21 Walk for Freedom Whakatane on their Facebook page.

Whakatane Walk for Freedom walkers