International Missing Children's Day

Cherry Blossom wrote:She'll probably end up writing a piece every week on missing children, imo would be better if someone else did it.

Gerry and I lobbied the Government and the European Parliament to develop and put in place a Child Rescue Alert (CRA) system throughout Europe.

We believed then, and continue to believe now, that nationally-developed systems with cross- border co-operation can save the lives of abducted children.

We were very pleased and relieved with the success of this campaign.

Since this time, CRA systems have been developed and launched in various countries across Europe, including the UK.

Sadly, it is still only the minority rather than the majority of countries within Europe which have implemented one.

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/4941648/kate-mccann-plea-on-international-missing-childrens-day.html#ixzz2UkyXYyAj

AMBER Alert Europe launches EU wide child rescue alert platform

http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/amber-alert-europe-launches-eu-wide-child-rescue-alert-platform-199327281.html
http://www.amberalert.eu/News.aspx?id=1

Specifically designed to rescue children after abduction by using community of 1.5 million EU citizens
Vice-President of the European Commission Neelie Kroes calls on everyone to join the AMBER Alert Europe initiative

The AMBER Alert Europe Initiative today launched the first EU wide child rescue alert platform: AMBER Alert Europe. In the US similar systems, joined in the AMBER Alert Plan, already have saved the lives of more than 600 children.

Neelie Kroes, Vice-President of the European Commission, responsible for the Digital Agenda: "The Digital Agenda for Europe is about using technologies to make a real difference. The AMBER Alert Europe Initiative is a great example of just that, because it uses modern technology to help saving children that may have been abducted. I call on everyone - citizens, NGO's, corporations and member state governments - to join the AMBER Alert Europe initiative and ensure that when a child goes missing in Europe, we can alert everyone in the area immediately - even across borders and across language borders."

The aim of AMBER Alert Europe is to rescue children during the first hours after their abduction or after becoming the victim of human trafficking. AMBER Alert does this by:

Creating a child rescue alert system for EU countries that do not yet have one, and further strengthen the different child alert initiatives that already exist in EU member states;
Linking all child alert systems present in Europe, using international alerting standards and the child alert best practices set by the European Commission;
Starting by mapping all missing children in Europe;
Using the EU citizenry's situational awareness and willingness to help (citizen sourcing) in order to help rescue the approximately 1 million children that go missing in the EU every year;
Allowing for the quick issuing of cross border alerts when a child goes missing near an EU border;
Allowing for easy cross language border alerting, through automatic translation of the missing child poster.

With the new platform, AMBER Alert Europe offers an EU wide response to the EU objective (DG Justice) on Child Alerts, which states that an early warning system for child abductions, with cross-border interoperability, should be established in all 27 EU countries.

When a child is taken, there is not a moment to lose. US research showed that in 76 percent of the missing children homicide cases studied, the child was dead within three hours of the abduction-and in 88.5 percent of the cases the child was dead within 24 hours*. That is what an AMBER Alert is for - to be a lifesaver by ensuring that within minutes the entire nation is on the lookout for a missing child," explains Frank Hoen, founder of both AMBER Alert Europe and AMBER Alert Netherlands. "Many EU member states responded to the EU commission's call for action and have launched a national child alert system. That is great. Now we need to take the next step, as in Europe borders are always near. A child abductor will not stop at the border, so neither should a child alert."

"With this system, building on the EU Commission's best practices, EU member states can strengthen their existing child alert system, or - if there is no system yet - can make use of the full toolkit and establish a child alert system in their country," he adds.

"The system honors children that went missing in the EU - such as Madeleine McCann, Alessia and Livia Schepp, Jeremi Vargas and Ben Needham," adds Hoen. "The next time a child goes missing like they did, a picture of that child should instantly be seen by everyone in the area: citizens, media, law enforcement officials and border authorities across Europe. And when a child is abducted close to a border: those just across the border should also be alerted; with the possibility to widen the search with one push of a button."

The technology currently being used by AMBER Alert Europe builds on the technology already used in the Netherlands for the Dutch AMBER Alert plan since 2008. The Dutch AMBER Alert was launched in 2008 by the Dutch minister of Justice, and currently has 1.5 million participants including thousands of large organizations who help further promote the AMBER Alert free of charge. With a success rate of 64 percent**, the Dutch AMBER Alert system is an example case of effective citizen sourcing.

The technology used allows for the immediate issuing of alert messages to police, press and public, using any medium available - from electronic highway signs, to TV, radio, social media such as Facebook and Twitter, pop-ups and screensavers on PCs, large advertising screens (Digital Signage), e-mail and SMS text messages, smartphone apps, printable posters, RSS newsfeeds and website banners and pop ups.

Want to help turn the AMBER Alert Europe platform into a real lifesaver in your country? Then register now to receive free alerts and be updated on the latest child rescue alert developments in your country: www.amberalert.eu

A reminder of what happened on 25th May 2007 - John McCann 3 weeks after Madeleine disappeared


25th May 2007
Missing People Lights up Marble Arch
Missing People Lights up Marble Arch on International Missing Children’s Day





John McCann, the uncle of missing Madeleine McCann today helped the UK’s only charity dedicated to missing people to re-launch on International Missing Children’s Day (25 May). The charity unveiled its re-launched official yellow charity ribbon via a large scale projection on Marble Arch, London (24 May) as well as the first ever UK direct mailing to help find missing children.

Missing People, the new name for National Missing Persons Helpline, said that an estimated 210,000 reports of missing people are made to UK police forces each year. Around two-thirds of these concern young people under the age of 18.

John McCann, Madeleine’s Uncle, will today visit staff and volunteers at the charity Head Office in London (25.05.2007) to show his support.


John McCann said: “In times of such difficulty it is reassuring to know that there is a charity (the only one in the UK) that will provide help in finding a missing relative.
“I am supporting Missing People’s aims to raise awareness of all missing people and this is why I want everyone to support them also.”

The charity today launched the first ever direct mailing appeal to find missing children. The ‘Bonus Bag’, distributed by Valassis, the biggest name in vouchers and coupons in the UK, hopes to replicate a successful scheme in America where an appeal is featured each week in 58 million postal packs.

The first to feature is Carmel Fenech, missing from Crawley aged 16 since the 23 May 1998. Her mother Deidre said: “I am delighted Carmel will be the first to be highlighted by this new scheme. I will be wearing my charity yellow ribbon with pride to highlight Carmel, Madeleine and all the others the charity hopes to help find.”
For more details of the ‘missing ribbon’ and information on Missing People, visit the charity’s new website at www.missingpeople.org.uk Missing People wishes to thank ‘Yahoo! For Good’ and ‘Friends Reunited’ for their support in making its new website and launch event possible.
ENDS.

Olympicana_Reloaded wrote:We believed then, and continue to believe now, that nationally-developed systems with cross- border co-operation can save the lives of abducted children.

Well quite.
But what about children who were not abducted ? How does it help them ?

PeterMac wrote:

Olympicana_Reloaded wrote:We believed then, and continue to believe now, that nationally-developed systems with cross- border co-operation can save the lives of abducted children.

Well quite.
But what about children who were not abducted ? How does it help them ?

You got there before me.

Well, you pretend. You invent an abduction and get your fame from pretending.

" A reminder of what happened on 25th May 2007 - John McCann 3 weeks after Madeleine disappeared ".



That was quick off the starting block ? He is only Maddies Uncle and he wasn't even there at the time of the mysterious disappearance ???