World Fair Trade Day Coming Up This Week

Source: globaldimension.org.uk

This Saturday (11 May 2013) is World Fair Trade Day, an initiative of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO).  Events will be taking place worldwide, aiming to raise awareness of the fair trade movement which began over five decades ago.

The WFTO was created in 1989, having previously been the International Federation of Alternative Traders.  Today, it is a truly global association comprised of 324 organisations in over 70 countries.

The aim of the fair trade movement is to encourage better trading conditions for producers in developing countries.  Fair trade organisations do this by awareness raising, promoting sustainable development, campaigning for change in international trade and supporting marginalised producers and workers.  Organisations must adhere to 10 principles in their day-to-day work such as Transparency and Accountability and Payment of a Fair Price.

Belgium-based readers may want to check out Oxfam’s Fair Trade Day website showing where Fair Trade events are taking place across the country.  People can attend picnics and also have the chance to participate in workplace or school-based events.

One of the events I am most looking forward to is when Brussels’ Manneken-Pis statue receives a special costume from the Belgian Fair Trade Organisation and Oxfam and will be, well, peeing Fair Trade wine for the whole day – tasty!

Blog by Bárbara Mendes-Jorge