For 12 days in February, 10 travelers came together in the Philippines and Hong Kong to learn about the root causes and current challenges of forced migration and labor trafficking. Both the group’s itinerary and the combination of participants made for a unique and uniquely powerful experience.
The United States leads the world in COVID-19 numbers, with 852,610 cases and 48,295 deaths. South Korea, once a hot spot, has 10,702 cases and 240 deaths. Hong Kong has 1,036 cases and 4 deaths and Taiwan has 427 cases and 6 deaths.
Protests in Hong Kong have been going on continuously since June. Things have not gotten better — in fact, the situation has worsened. Clashes between police and protesters have become more frequent and at times more violent.
Last week, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam announced the formal withdrawal of a controversial extradition bill that launched massive protests earlier this summer.
But there is still considerable unrest.