World Fair Trade Day 2010: A Big Day for the Planet
Hundreds of events celebrated in 52 countries
World Fair Trade Day is a worldwide celebration of Fair Trade, initiative of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) which has been supported once again over the last days by thousands of citizens, Fair Trade Organizations, social and environmental movements, local authorities, national governments, multilateral institutions, producers and consumers all around the planet. Thousands of people have been involved inWorld Fair Trade Day 2010.
We have witnessed extraordinary events in all continents. 417 have been officially reported to us in 52 countries. No doubt far more has been celebrated without official registration. In Africa, Tree Planting has been a novelty. The Swaziland Fair Trade Network, SWIFT, planted trees along a major road in the country with the help of school children. Latin America has hosted conferences, seminars and Fair Trade tasting and exhibitions with events organised in Peru, Colombia and Chile, among other countries. Other attractive events have been fashion shows or "Open Houses" like the one celebrated in Älvängen, Sweden, where consumers taste Fair Trade products while listening to really good music. In the US, a creative activity has been the Manhattan College's Intramural Sports program hosting a month long Fair Trade Frisbee League in celebration for WFTDay 2010. Oceania has celebrated it with stalls, give-aways, coffee carts, Fair Trade themed activities and promotions in Cathedral Square Markets and Fair Trade Fiestas in New Zealand. Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, organised a day long workshop on Fair Trade and a Rally with its artisans, partners, media and other Fair Trade friends. These are just some examples, there is info about hundreds of more events with thousands of citizens participating on http://www.wftday.info
The WFTDay Declaration, core message on WFTDay has been supported by more thanone thousand entities from 57 countriesamongst them Ministries, Local Authorities and representatives of UN bodies, social movements, NGOs, Universities and Fair Trade Organisations. On WFTDay, citizens have expressed their support to Fair Trade as a concrete and efficient response to poverty reduction, economic and global food crisis, as well asclimate change. Fair Trade ensures sustainable conditions for production and fair terms, and advocates for a fair economic system and international trading rules.
One year more, WFTDay has been a Big Day for the Planet.
The World Fair Trade Organization is the global Fair Trade network representing around 400 organisations committed to Fair Trade in 70 countries across 5 regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North American and the Pacific Rim.
2009 IFAT |