ADVISORY: Illinois' legal community to welcome and honor African anti-slavery heroes; commemorate Lincoln's birthday

CHICAGO, Feb. 10. 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Chicago-based non-profit The Abolition Institute, profiled by CNN for its work honoring the legacy of the "Land of Lincoln" by fighting modern day slavery in the West African nation of Mauritania. Called Slavery's Last Stronghold by global media, Mauritania did not criminalize slavery until 2007 – and its weak laws against the practice are seldom enforced. Slavery in Mauritania is race and descent based and exists in a form chillingly similar to that which existed in the United States prior to the Civil War. Women and children suffer the most from its brutality. The Abolition Institute exists to end it.

All (19) of Chicagoland's diverse bar associations: 7^th Circuit Bar Association,  Asian American Bar Association, Black Women Lawyers Association, Chicago Bar Association, Chicago Council of Lawyers, Chinese American Bar Association, Cook County Bar Association, Decalogue Society of Lawyers, Filipino American Lawyers Association, Hellenic Bar Association, Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois, Illinois Judicial Council, Illinois State Bar Association, International Human Rights Law Institute, Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago, Muslim Bar Association of Chicago, National Bar Association, Puerto Rican Bar Association, Women's Bar Association of Illinois.

Latham & Watkins LLP, a global law firm and one of the largest providers of pro bono legal services in the world. Among Latham's many efforts is working to end modern-day slavery, and lawyers and staff from around the firm proudly partner with a number of organizations who share this goal as well as advise individual clients who have been affected by trafficking.

WHAT:

Will honor and welcome to Chicago two of the world's most acclaimed anti-slavery leaders: Biram Abeid and Brahim Randhame of Mauritania.  Both won the 2016 "Heroes Fighting Modern Slavery Award" from the U.S. State Department, an honor presented by U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker and Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.  Biram Abeid has also received the United Nations Human Rights Prize, an honor previously given to First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, Martin Luther King, President Jimmy Carter and Nelson Mandela.

At this free reception, over 150 leaders from the legal and philanthropic community will learn firsthand about slavery in Mauritania and the struggle of these two heroes for freedom.

WHEN: 5:30 PM on Monday, February 13

WHERE: Latham & Watkins Conference Center at 330 N. Wabash #2800

WHY: The home of Presidents Lincoln and Grant as well as thousands of brave abolitionists, Illinois has a unique legacy in the fight against slavery must be carried on until the practice is abolished worldwide.

NOTE TO MEDIA: The Abolition Institute is happy to arrange media interviews with participants and the event is open to the media; however all attendees should register their names at www.StoppingSlavery.org/Lincoln as per building security.

For more information contact:
Sean Tenner, Abolition Institute / Sean@StoppingSlavery.org / (312) 576-8822
Sarah Beckley, Latham & Watkins / Sarah.Beckley@LW.com / (312) 876-6503

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/advisory-illinois-legal-community-to-welcome-and-honor-african-anti-slavery-heroes-commemorate-lincolns-birthday-300405712.html

SOURCE The Abolition Institute