several years ago, vera lesco started working -- asking about the large number as of albanian girls that were disappearing from their homes. the more she learned about sex trafficking, the more determined she became to help stop it. she found it and an anti trafficking organization called with a hearth -- called the hearth. she offered not only a place to stay, but comprehensive services like legal and medical help, job training, education, and family support. her commitment has come with costs and the dangers. she has been attacked and beaten several times by those people who benefit from the illegal trade of women and girls. she even had to send her daughter to live abroad for her safety. nothing has stopped of europe from continuing to advocate -- stopped vera and continuing to advocate for peace and safety. thank you so much. [applause] just as she was beginning her work in albanian, another woman was starting down the same path on the other side of the world. she created her anti trafficking organization in coast to reach out more than a decade ago. her goal was to help trafficking

it is an issue about the albanian people. but we have also been consistent about is saying there are some universal principles including freedom of assembly and speech, making should that governments are not using coercion and violent and oppression in terms of how they interact with these peaceful demonstrators. we have been speaking out very clearly about that fact. >> [unintelligible] >> we do not have formal diplomatic collations with iran. -- diplomatic relations with iran. if iran chooses a path that abides by the international norms and principles, then we are interested in healing some of the wounds of 30 years in terms of the u.s.-iranian relations. that is a choice that they will have to make. >> america's health insurance plans and blue cross blue shield sent a letter to senate this morning saying that government health insurance plan would dismantle private insurers. why are they wrong? >> but as talk about health care reform more broadly. in this debate, there has been some notion that if we stand [unintelligible

we have the maker of the first shelter in albanian, this represents nine men and women who we are celebrating for their fight against trafficking. we are so happy that they can join us today. [applause] around the world, millions of people are living in bondage. they live under a brutal and lawyers who threaten them with violence. they work with people who keep them imprisoned, they are fearful of the consequences if they fail to earn their daily quota. this is modern slavery, this provides a ruthless employers with an endless supply of people to abuse for financial gain. human trafficking is a crime with many victims, not just the people who are trafficked but the people who are left behind, some of whom never see their loved ones again. this weekend's the legitimate economy, it threatens public health and safety and shatters families and the social fabric necessary for progress. this threatens the belief that all people deserve to live and work in safety. we use this as part of the agenda. we have 140 trafficking programs. we have task forces to address the challenge here. we have much more

a foundation that helps victims in coaster rica, and one person who opened the first shelter in albanian for women and girls who have been traffic. we are celebrating nine men and women this year for their courage in the fight against trafficking. we're so grateful they could join us today. [applause] around the world, millions of people are living in bondage. they labor in fields and factories under brutal employers could threaten them with violence if they tried to escape. the work at home for families that keep them in prison. they are forced to work as prostitutes or beg in the street, fearful of the consequences if they fail to earn their daily quota. they are women, men, and the children of all ages. they are often held far from home with no money, no connections, and no way to ask for help. this is modern slavery. a crime that spans the globe and provides ruthless employers with an endless supply of people who are used for a financial gain. human trafficking is a crime against those who are traffic and the families who are left behind. some of them and never see their loved ones a

i have found, you look at how the united states responded to the crisis in kosovo when albanians were being killed. nato when in with troops, bombs were dropped, we have occupied the nation now for many years. i think that is something that we need to get past. human rights watch, we worked there, if there is a bad spot in the world, we will be there. the only place that we have a very hard time operating is north korea. that is very -- fairly up -- obvious why. >> are there any more dilemmas that you face? >> one is accessed, every time the people want you to go in, we will be there. you cannot always go on a visa. sometimes you have to find more interesting ways to get into the country. another problem is, look at what happens when your access is restricted, or potentially you could be taken into custody. you saw the video on georgia. the russians had set up many checkpoints, and there were not going to let us go into us gues the gori district. i was told there was a road over the mountain, but we will get into gori with no problem. after driving over this goat trail for three hours

look at how the united states responded to the crisis in kosovo when albanians were being killed, nato went in with troops, bombs were dropped, we occupied the nation for many years and in africa, what does the u.s. government do? that is something we need to get past. we work -- if there's a bad spot in the world we are going to be there. the only place where we have a very hard time operating is north korea and is fairly obvious why. >> the world affairs council has been offered to take a delegation to north korea if you can join us in august. we have just announced it. are there any more dilemmas you face when working in the field? >> the dilemmas we face in the field are manifold, one is access. you can't always go on a visa, sometimes you need to find more interesting ways to get into a country. that is one problem we have. another is look at what happens when your access is restricted or potentially you could be taken into custody. you saw the video on georgia, the russians set up many checkpoints and they were not allowing us to go into the district where the fighting was happen

large numbers of albanians living in the bronx either way back or in groups of brothers at a time or one group of brothers to run a gas station or the auto repair stop. and they nominated the strongest brother were the most fearless brother or the brother who wasn't married to go home and fight and they did that. so they're all all these channels of information and communication, but certainly in america we are not using that at all, in my own personal case this wasn't accident. but i'm wondering how it is in germany. thank you. >> in germany, and in europe, the integration of muslims is not as good as in the united states. and in the united states, statistics show that and prove that muslims are much more successful than in germany. the integration that we give to these people is not good, and now we have a nation of interior. you have a roundtable and you are discussing with all the muslim groups, and he said wonderful things. he said the muslims are a part of germany. and that's just the truth. he said you are here now. let's find solution for all problems, and not always the germ