Hartsfield-Jackson Turns Blue to Shine a Light on the Darkness of Human Trafficking

For Immediate Release

January 10, 2018

Hartsfield-Jackson Turns Blue to Shine a Light on the Darkness of Human Trafficking

ATLANTA –At midnight, 1800 LED lights on Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport's (ATL) North Canopy will turn blue and burn brightly to commemorate National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. The blue lights will symbolize ATL's commitment to stamping out sexual exploitation and other forms of Human Trafficking. 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security started the Blue Campaign as a unified effort to combat Human Trafficking, as the color blue is universally recognized for Human Trafficking prevention. The lights will remain blue all day Friday, January 11th, in observance of the day. 

As a major transportation hub, ATL serves more than 250,000 passengers each day, making it a magnet for human traffickers. 

Later this month, ATL will also host its first-ever Human Trafficking Summit.

"As the busiest and most efficient airport in the world, Hartsfield-Jackson continues to espouse the three e's in the fight against Human Trafficking," said Jan Lennon, director of Security for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. "The three e's refer to educating globally, executing a movement and eliminating the demand," she said. "The focus of the ATL summit on Human Trafficking will help us do all of those things."

The summit will take place on January 29 at the Georgia International Convention Center.

January 11^th became Human Trafficking Awareness Day in 2007, and in 2010 the Obama administration issued a proclamation naming January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.  

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL) is the world’s busiest and most efficient airport, serving more than 103 million passengers annually with nonstop service to more than 150 U.S. destinations and 70 international destinations in more than 50 countries. ATL boasts a direct economic impact of $34.8 billion in metro Atlanta and a total direct economic impact of $70.9 billion in Georgia. The Airport is the largest employer in Georgia, with more than 63,000 individuals working on-site. The Airport is a frequent recipient of awards of excellence for concessions, operations, sustainability, architectural engineering and construction. In 2016, ATL set in motion a multibillion-dollar capital improvement program, ATLNext, which will modernize the Domestic Terminal, extend two concourses, construct several parking decks, add a sixth runway, expand cargo facilities and pave the way for a 440-room InterContinental Hotel with Class A office space. For more information, visit www.atl.com.