Marking 10 Years of the Santa Marta Group

Marking the Santa Marta Group's 10 year anniversary, Cardinal Vincent Nichols remembers Pope Francis' appeal to take the fight against human trafficking and modern slavery forward.

The Santa Marta Group was founded in 2014, born of the conviction that by working together and developing trust across very different organisations, there would be a multiplying effect that would benefit the victims of modern slavery and human trafficking and take on the criminal gangs that exploit so many millions of innocent people.

Led by Cardinal Nichols, leaders from the Church and over Police Chiefs from over 25 countries gathered in the Vatican in the presence of Pope Francis and with his explicit encouragement, the Santa Marta Group launched this model of partnerships between the Church, police, business, and civil society internationally.

Since then the Santa Marta Group has sought to build this network, always acting as a catalyst for action as we collectively seek systemic change to rid the world of the scourge of human trafficking.