From May 4 to 9, the Talitha Kum Regional Representatives gathered in Rome for the annual meeting of the Talitha Kum International Coordination Committee (TKICC). Guided by the theme “Deepening Communion, Shaping Action – Walking Together as a Network to End Human Trafficking,” this week was dedicated to renewing a shared spirit and mission. It was an opportunity to strengthen collaboration between Regions, to discern our path toward 2030, and to listen to one another’s grassroots experiences, challenges, and insights on emerging forms of trafficking.

“If one member suffers, all suffer together… if one is honoured, all rejoice together.”
(1 Corinthians 12:26–27)

In her welcoming remarks, Sr. Abby Avelino, MM, reminded the gathering that these scriptures express the spirit of Talitha Kum as one body and one network. She invited the group to use this week to deepen communion, strengthen the way they walk together, and shape shared action with renewed hope and commitment in response to the realities of human trafficking.

The group welcomed with open hearts and open arms the newly appointed Regional Representatives: Sr. Mary Dhayalini, AC (Asia Representative), Sr. Kayula Lesa, RSC (Africa Representative) and Sr. Ana Maria Vilca, SNJM (Representative for Latin America & the Caribbean). All members were able to attend in person, to the exception of Sr. IsaBelle Couillard, SGM, Representative for North America Representative, who joined the meeting via Zoom. 

The TKICC met respectively with the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) Executive Secretary, Sr. Roxanne Schares, SSND, and UISG President Sr. Oona O’Shea, NDS, to deepen dialogue and communion with the wider Union. They also reflected on collaboration and advocacy strategies with Veronica Lentini, an Italian lawyer and legal expert in migrants protection, counter-trafficking and labour exploitation at IOM - UN Migration. 

The week concluded with a touching moment of celebration. The TKICC congratulated Sr. Annette Arnold, RSJ (Oceania Representative) for her recent appointment as the President of ACRATH. They also celebrated and bid farewell to Sr. Adina Balan, CJ, as she soon concludes her mandate as Representative for Talitha Kum Europe, as well as the former Regional Representatives Sr. Yvonne Bambara, RGS, and Sr. Paula Phonprasertruksa, SPC, who joined the group online. 

As the Regional Representatives return home, they carry forward a renewed sense of communion, a set of “fresh eyes” and clear objectives to ensure that local actions resonate within the global network. The challenges of human trafficking are vast, yet walking together as a network gives us the strength to face them with hope and conviction. This meeting reminds us that our mission is never solitary; it is a shared journey toward justice and dignity for all.

About the TKICC – Established in 2017 to empower the global network at the regional level, the TKICC serves as the vital "bridge" between Talitha Kum International and our six Regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America & the Caribbean, North America, and Oceania. Its mission is to strengthen coordination, foster communication, facilitate networking, while supporting the implementation of Talitha Kum’s global strategic priorities across the network of networks.