On August 4, 2025, The John J. Brunetti Human Trafficking Academy welcomed to St. Thomas University College of Law a 16-member delegation from the Near East and North Africa, through the International Visitor Leadership Program of the U.S. Department of State and coordinated by the Global Ties Miami. President of St. Thomas University David A. Armstrong, J.D. and The Honorable Tarlika Nunez-Navarro, Dean of the College of Law, welcomed the guests in President Armstrong’s office.  

In his welcome address President Armstrong talked about the strategic vision of the University in pursuit of excellence to become the Great Catholic University of the South, and its mission in shaping the future by developing ethical leaders for the global community and contributing to advancing of a value-based society that does not accept the commodification of human beings. He further highlighted STU’s dimension of cultural and international diversity, in its many colleges and programs, such as the human rights program and the Human Trafficking Academy at the College of Law, in line with the universal tenets of the Catholic Social Teaching: human dignity, the common good, and solidarity, also evidenced by the presence at STU of leaders from various countries of the world, today and in over two decades. President Armstrong thanked Dr. Roza Pati for leading the institution’s efforts in educating over 16,000 professionals of all disciplines on human trafficking law and policy, at national and international level — a testimony to STU’s contribution to a world free of slavery and human trafficking. 

Dr. Roza Pati, St. John Paul II Distinguished Professor of Law, Director of the LL.M./ J.S.D. in Intercultural Human Rights and Founding Director of The John J. Brunetti Human Trafficking Academy spoke about the Human Trafficking Academy as A Trailblazer in the Anti-Trafficking Efforts in the US and Beyond. Based on her expertise and experience of over three decades in antitrafficking, she emphasized the unique role of academic institutions in educating and training those who work in the trenches and those at the decision-making institutions, both in the public and the private sector. She highlighted the multiple ways that the College of Law’s Intercultural Human Rights Program and the Human Trafficking Academy have contributed towards addressing human trafficking through pioneering work in teaching and training as well as in research and publishing of scholarship throughout the globe.   

To address human trafficking of boys through one of the most disturbing forms of trafficking –familial trafficking — the Academy featured one of its Associated Experts, The Honorable Judge Robert R. Lung, 23rd Judicial District of Colorado, and Chair (2020) and Member (2018-2020) of the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking. Through the narrative of a gripping case, his own case as survivor of familial human trafficking, Judge Lung talked about issues of prevention through education and mitigation through recovery. Of particular emphasis was his focus on trauma and the trauma informed prosecutions. A Q & A session followed the presentations. 

The USDOS International Visitor Leadership Program’s Regional Project for the Near East and North Africa brought together at STU College of Law sixteen representatives from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, West Bank, Somalia, and Tunisia. In formal and informal conversations, the dignitaries shared their own experience and their countries’ efforts in building expertise in law, policy and practice. Some of them also shared their research work in investigating and prosecuting the crime of human trafficking and respective efforts in victim assistance. The delegation hailed from departments of justice, interior, labor etc. and it consisted of judges, prosecutors, law enforcement, border protection officers, social service providers, researchers and civil society representatives.