This week has been really busy, putting the pieces together for World Fair Trade Day, before I leave for Bangladesh and India. It’s 2a.m. And I’m still not packed!
I initiated World Fair Trade Day, which started in 2002 and is endorsed by IFAT, the International Fair Trade Association, with 300 members in 65 countries. World Fair Trade Day was built on the World Shops Day, which was celebrated by over 2000 shops around Europe working through NEWS! (Network of European World Shops)
Befor setting up in the UK, I started People Tree in Japan, (which is where I am writing from now). We we quickly became front-runners of the Fair Trade movement there and now People Tree Japan now sells to 500 shops around the country.
We started to work with NEWS!, taking their promotional materials and publishing them in Japanese. When we found that there were Fair Trade organisations celebrating in a smaller way in the States, I felt absolutely sure we needed a day to celebrate the global Fair Trade movement, and that IFAT should be at the centre of this, as the leading authority of Fair Trade.
The exciting thing about World Fair Trade Day, which is celebrated on the second Saturday of May, is that it is celebrated throughout the world, and has unique perspective for majority world countries, where the awareness of Fair Trade is still low. Events include gatherings of hundreds of artisans around the Taj Mahal, organised by Tara Projects, to rhythmic dance gatherings in Zimbabwe organised by Dezign Inc, and peaceful groups meeting in the vast plains of the Sierra in Peru organised by Minka. There are also sexy fair trade fashion shows held in Tokyo and London, fair trade coffee mornings and demonstrations held around European parliaments and events held in Fair Trade shops throughout the world.
The movement of Fair Trade, at the same time as showcasing another form of trade that puts marginalised people first, is also spearheading new thinking in economic equity, sustainable development, corporate social responsibility, and ethical compliance. On World Fair Trade Day, and often throughout the month of May, shops and the media help to bring new customers to Fair Trade promoting product sales which in turn promotes livelihoods for small-scale producers. IFAT’s Fair Trade members use World Fair Trade Day to celebrate and communicate its vision, to the larger community, and showcase itself as the Gold Standard for equitable trade, social justice and sustainability.
We have just rejuvenated the World Fair Trade Day site. Take a look and find out more. You can see what has happened in previous years too..
If you would like to run an event to celebrate World Fair Trade Day on May 13th, no matter how small, it’s a wonderful opportunity to run a Fair Trade fashion show, or arrange a Fair Trade brunch with friends, or arrange for some materials and catalogues to be sent, to pass around your office.