Fair Trade kinda town

Salt shakers
October 2005

Fair Trade kinda town

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TransFair's Charlotte Opal talks about the impact of fair trade practices.

Quicktime 7 is recommended for best viewing.

CHICAGO, Sept. 28—A "first of its kind" international gathering of fair trade commodity producers, manufacturers, advocates, and consumers convened in Chicago on September 30 through October 1. More than 600 gathered at the "Fair Trade Futures" conference to share strategies, trade stories, and in general showcase and promote the growing fair trade movement in North America.

The conference included some 50 workshops, testimonials from producers, and interactive opportunities to shape the future of fair trade. Keynote speakers were Kwabena Ohemeng Tinyase, managing director of Kuapa Kokoo cocoa cooperative of Uganda and a member of the board of the Day Chocolate Company, and Pauline Tiffen, co-founder of Cafedirect and board member of the Fair Trade Federation.

"I think with all the things going on in the world today," said TransFair's Charlotte Opal, "people realize that they are connected to people that live thousands of miles away, and I think we're all stepping back a little bit and thinking about what kind of relationship we want to have with the people who are growing our food, and we want that to be an ethical relationship."

Annual sales of fair trade products in North America grew by 53 percent in 2003 and again by more than 20 percent in 2004. Fair trade organizations follow a set of trading principles including: trade as a tool for poverty alleviation, transparency and accountability, capacity building, fair prices, gender equity, safe working conditions, no child exploitation, and concern for the environment.

The conference is being convened by the Fair Trade Federation and the Fair Trade Resource Network. A Greater Gift/SERRV, Catholic Relief Services, Cooperative Coffees, Equal Exchange, Lutheran World Relief, Oxfam America, Ten Thousand Villages serve on the conference Planning Council and have provided financial support.

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