On Jan. 11, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) officials observe Human Trafficking Awareness Day and will kick off a yearlong schedule of events to address the issue. From highly visible efforts – including the illumination of the iconic airport canopies – to education outreach initiatives aimed at passengers, employees, and partners, ATL is continuing its work in bringing awareness to this issue.
“Every year, millions of men, women, and children are trafficked worldwide, including right here in the United States,” said Jan Lennon, assistant general manager for Public Safety and Security at Hartsfield-Jackson. “It is our job to bring this to an end.”
ATL hosted Human Trafficking Awareness summits in years past, bringing together local, state and federal officials tasked with combating the issue. Due to the COVID pandemic, this year’s summit will be rescheduled. Ongoing efforts to address the issue will continue with the following:
- ATL will illuminate the north and south canopies nightly in bright blue all week
- All passengers and employees have been invited to wear blue while working at or traveling through ATL on Jan. 11. Participants in the awareness campaign are urged to post pictures on social media with the hashtag #WearBlueDay
- ATL’s Guest Relations office will host human trafficking awareness seminars to teach employees how to spot the signs of trafficking and take steps to mitigate the threat
- Prominent signage and public service announcements alerting the public about the threat of trafficking and directing them to proper resources remain throughout the terminals and concourses
- ATL’s Office of Public Affairs will hold human trafficking awareness youth forums with area high schools
