| Notice to the Press Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC June 2, 2008 Secretary Rice to Announce Release of the 2008 Trafficking in Persons ReportSecretary of State Condoleezza Rice will announce the release of the eighth annual Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report on Wednesday, June 4, at 10:00 a.m. in the State Department’s Press Briefing Room (Room 2209). Following Secretary Rice’s opening remarks, Ambassador Mark P. Lagon, Director, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, will respond to press queries.This on-the-record, on-camera briefing is open for press coverage.
The 170-country report is the most comprehensive worldwide report on the efforts of governments to combat severe forms of trafficking in persons, a modern-day form of slavery. Its findings are intended to raise global awareness and spur countries to take effective actions to counter trafficking in persons. The assessment includes reports on 153 countries determined to have a significant number of victims of severe forms of human trafficking. Commentary on seventeen additional countries, considered special cases, is also included. This year's Report also includes new information on slave labor and slave-tainted products that risk making consumers complicit in trafficking. Media representatives may attend this briefing upon presentation of one of the following: (1) a U.S. Government-issued identification card (Department of State, White House, Congress, Department of Defense, or Foreign Press Center), (2) a media-issued photo identification card, or (3) a letter from their employer on letterhead verifying their employment as a journalist, accompanied by an official photo identification (driver’s license or passport). Members of the press who do not have a State Department building pass should arrive at the 23rd Street entrance by 9:30 a.m. for clearance through security and access to the briefing room. Advance Copies of the Embargoed Report Embargoed copies of the report will be available on Wednesday, June 4 at 9:00 a.m. in the State Department Press Office (Room 2109). The report will be distributed in hard copy and CD-ROM format on a first-come, first-served basis – one copy per media organization. Copies will not be reserved, mailed, faxed or delivered to a building entrance. The entire report is EMBARGOED until the end of the press briefing at approximately 11:00 a.m. on June 4. Electronic Access to the Report and Supporting Material The full text of the report will be available for downloading from the State Department Web site at www.state.gov as soon as possible after the briefing on Wednesday, June 4. Photos of human trafficking are available on the State Department’s G/TIP Web site, http://www.state.gov/g/tip. Reporters who wish to schedule an interview with Ambassador Lagon after the report is released may contact Public Affairs Senior Coordinator Eleanor Gaetan at (202) 312-9645 or Public Affairs Specialist Elizabeth Fuller at (202) 312-9695. 2008/441 |
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