World religious leaders to sign pledge to eradicate slavery by 2020

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Signing up: Pope Francis signs a joint Declaration of Religious Leaders against Modern Slavery as Andrew Forrest watches on. Photo: AP

December 3, 2014 - 9:03AM
Nick Miller
Europe Correspondent

Vatican City: An extraordinary gathering of world religious leaders, including the Pope, a Zen Buddhist master, Sunni and Shiite clerics, the Archbishop of Canterbury and a South American rabbi have signed a pledge to eradicate slavery by 2020.

The signing marks the beginning of a five-year push in churches, mosques, synagogues and temples across the world to send the message that slavery is forbidden by God.

But perhaps most extraordinary was that this historic meeting, which overcame traditions of religious suspicion and enmity amid the manicured gardens and marble columns of Vatican City, was largely inspired by the determination of a Perth schoolgirl - now a confident young woman.

Grace Forrest, 21, sat proudly in the front row at the 16th-century Casina Pio IV villa as the pledge was signed in front of her, after an hour of speeches in five languages.

http://www.smh.com.au/world/australian-grace-forrest-inspires-pope-francis-and-other-world-religious-leaders-to-sign-pledge-to-eradicate-slavery-by-2020-20141202-11ytpw.html

1:10 video at link.