World Fair Trade Day 09 is Tomorrow: Start the Drums Beating!
World Fair Trade Day (WFTD) 2009 is tomorrow, 9 May. BIG BANG!! is the theme for this year, which celebrates WFTD’s 60th birthday. It represents beating poverty, beating climate change, beating economic crisis. Join in and “BIG BANG!! something (anything) with spoons, sticks, hands, fingers, friends, family, neighbours, a crowd, an audience, a solution.” Check out this cool video.
In the lead up to World Fair Trade Day, it is encouraging to see that the growth in Fair trade is expected to continue in 2009 despite the Global Financial Crisis. This is based on the first ever global survey of Fairtrade by GlobeScan, and commissioned by the Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO), released last month – covering 14,500 participants from 15 countries, including Australia. It is also great to see that consumers expect brands should be actively making a difference with “Among those surveyed, almost three quarters of shoppers believe it is not enough for companies to do no harm, but that they should actively support community development in developing countries.” And, while the growth is expected to slow from around 25% in 2008, Rob Cameron, Chief Executive Officer of FLO says “The exact level of growth is hard to predict but our best guess is worse case 10 percent growth and we are expecting really about 15 percent growth in 2009.” (Source: http://money.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=802698).
There are now over 1.5 million Fairtrade producers and workers in 58 countries, around 3000 traders of Fairtrade certified products in over 73 countries, 60 countries where Fairtrade certified products are available and sales totalled €2.3 billion (AUD $4.58 billion) in 2007. (Source: http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/) The Australian market for Fair Trade products is also growing – with the Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand reporting that retail sales of Fairtrade Certified products passed $AU23 million in 2008. And if you are shopping for Fair Trade products, not only can you buy delicious Fairtrade coffee, tea and chocolate but there are also beautiful and chic gifts, women’s fashion and accessories, sports gear, home decor, kid’s clothing and toys, hampers and more available. Check out the gorgeous range on offer by our social and eco entrepreneurs at http://souleconomy.com/go/entrepreneurs/
BIG BANG!! will also launch the World Fair Trade Organisation’s agent of change, known as G9. This person will deliver the Fair Trade solution to poverty, climate change and economic crisis to the Group of Eight (G8) – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States – Summit in July this year. To vote for the change agent or to nominate a candidate click here.
To celebrate World Fair Trade Day, there are a wide range of events happening Australia. Check them out at http://souleconomy.com/go/events/, http://www.worldfairtradeday09.org/ and http://ftf09.fairtrade.org.nz/
Whatever you chose to do, have a terrific time. I would love to hear your stories and see your photos from the day. If you email them to me at amanda@souleconomy.com I will post them up on the site.
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