The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Ricky Martin Foundation, the non-governmental organization Ayuda and the DC Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs have partnered to launch Call and Live in Washington DC, a campaign that promotes an anti-trafficking hotline for prevention and victim protection. Other local partners of the initiative include Telemundo, Univisión, Washington Hispanic and Radio Viva 900.

Ricky Martin, IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno and Ayuda Executive Director Mauricio Vivero will launch the campaign in an event scheduled to take place on April 29, 2008 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the IDB Headquarters (1330 New York Avenue, Washington, D.C).

The campaign aims to reach 100,000 Latinos in the D.C. area with prevention messages about human trafficking and provide access to legal and social services for victims through a Spanish-language hotline. Call and Live has been implemented in Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Peru and Nicaragua, where it has triggered more than 55.000 relevant calls to the national hotlines, 60 police investigations, and the rescue of at least a dozen victims.

The IDB is launching this initiative in Washington D.C. as part of its local corporate responsibility efforts. The Bank’s IDB-DC Solidarity Program builds strategic partnerships with local community-based organizations to promote development initiatives aimed largely at Hispanic and Caribbean communities in the District of Columbia.

The Ricky Martin Foundation is a non-profit organization that advocates for children’s rights and condemns the exploitation of this most vulnerable population.

Ayuda is a community-based, nonprofit organization which is recognized as the leading source of multi-lingual legal and social services for low-income immigrants in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

The DC Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs was established in 1976 to ensure that the concerns of the Latino community are heard and adequately addressed in the city.

Members of the press (including print, radio, and television) wishing to cover the event can pre-register with the IDB press contact,  Diana Lesbines Braier at 202-623-1713, dianal@iadb.org, or register on-site the day of the event with appropriate press credentials.

For more information please go to www.llamayvive.org

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Press contacts:

Ricky Martin Foundation
BibianaFerraiuoli
bibiana@rm-foundation.org
(787) 754-5441
www.rickymartinfoundation.org

Ayuda
Sandra Escobar
sescobar@ayudainc.org
202-387-4848