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ABOUT FAIR TRADE
 Fair Trade is a tangible contribution to the fight against
poverty, climate change and the economic crisis that hit hardest on the world’s
most vulnerable populations. A third of the world’s population lives on less
than two dollars a day. The global crisis confirms the need for a fair and
sustainable economy locally and globally. Trade must benefit the most
vulnerable and deliver sustainable livelihoods by developing opportunities for
small and disadvantaged producers. Support the fight against poverty, Donate to Fair Trade.
Market Access
 The fourth
edition of the Fair Trade International Symposium (4th FTIS)
will host the Final Conference of the GeoFairTrade project, a three-year project
supported by the European Commission of which the WFTO is one of the partners. Learn
more on the project and partners here.
This is an open invitation to all interested
parties. Reduced tariff to the event will expire on 31 December 2011, and final
registration is on 29 February 2012. Learn more here.
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Geo Fair Trade Project
Learn how GeoTraceability can benefit both the consumers and the producers, click here.
WFTO Events
Fair Trade will be
celebrated on 12 May 2012 in diverse places and cultures across the globe.
Various events are organized in more than 70 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe,
Latin America, North America and Pacific Rim.
Leading the celebration are members of the World Fair Trade Organizations
(WFTO) that have pioneered Fair Trade for more than five decades. Celebrate
with us, click here to learn more…
We’ve
also prepared special articles about our members and public celebrations across
the globe. These stories are living proof of the tangible contribution of Fair
Trade to poverty alleviation and sustainable development, and the very reason
why we celebrate Fair Trade. Find below the stories from the five regions of
the WFTO.
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Fair Trade at the biggest Scandinavian gift fair |
 Fair
Trade Denmark is inviting Fair Trade retailers to the biggest Scandinavian gift
fair in August 2012. For three consecutive years, Fair Trade products at
Formland trade fair received increasing popularity and attention from businesses
and visitors of the fair. “We’ve seen increasing interest year by year. Last
time, we got good press coverage, and despite the global recession, it was
quite satisfactory in commercial terms,” said Fair Trade Denmark’s chair Mette
Vinqvist.
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Fair Trade alliance building in Kerala, India |
 A meeting on 22 March 2012 marked the Alliance For Building Consultation meeting between Fair Trade Forum- India (FTF-I) and the Evangelical Social Action Forum (ESAF). The meeting was held at Thissur in Kerala, India, on the southwest coast of the country. This meeting was part of the efforts of Fair Trade Forum- India’s FairConnect program, whose aim is to strengthen the Indian Fair Trade movement through expanding membership, building alliances, opening market access, and building capacity for Fair Trade. FTF-I’s FairConnect project is being funded by Hivos, an organization that works to create a productive collaboration between entities in an effort to foster successful civil society organization.
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Brief report on the recent 4th Fair Trade International Symposium in Liverpool, UK |
 Recently,
Liverpool was the host of an international gathering
of researchers and practitioners in the field of Fair Trade. The 4th
Fair Trade International Symposium (FTIS), held at Liverpool Hope
University from 2 to 4
April, not only gathered the latest researches on Fair Trade, but also was the
host of the final conference of the geotraceability project that hopes to
connect closer Fair Trade producers and consumers. Six case studies of
geotraceability of Fair Trade were presented to 150 participants from the
academe and Fair Trade sectors. Two cases are WFTO affiliates: Mpanga Tea
Growers (WFTO member in Uganda),
and ATMA (Panama
hats suppliers of WFTO certified member Pachacuti).
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Reforestation project of Mitra Bali Fair Trade |
 In a continuing effort to make handicraft production more sustainable, Mitra Bali has recently constructed a plantation of native Albesia wood in the Abuan Village of Bangli. Albesia wood is a very common wood used for constructing handicrafts. The outputs of this plantation will help off set the rapidly increasing rate of Albesia harvesting in the area, and help make the resource a bit more renewable. Replenishing the wood will be beneficial to both the people and the natural environment.
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People Tree’s Safia Minney nominated for the 2012 Guardian Sustainable Business Leader |
 People Tree recently announced that its founder, Safia Minney, has received nomination for the Guardian Sustainable Business Leader of the Year 2012 award. Created by the Guardian Professional Networks, the award is given to leaders of the business world who have made profound contributions in corporate sustainability. Each year CEOs, chairmen, and business founders like Safia Minney are nominated and then selected by judges to receive votes from the public.
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Swazi Indigenous Products awarded 2012 Equator Prize |
 Swazi Indigenous Products (SIP) is one of this year’s recipients of the Equator Prize. SIP was one of 25 winners out of 800 nominations from 113 countries around the world. The Equator prize is “awarded biennially to recognize and advance local sustainable development solutions for people, nature, and resilient communities.” The goal of the prize is to “shine a spotlight” internationally, to honor local and indigenous groups’ efforts towards sustainable development.
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WFTO members to attend Fair Handeln |
 WFTO members will be attending Fair Handeln, an annual international trade exhibition that focuses on Fair Trade and other responsible trading practices. Sixteen (16) members of the WFTO will showcase Fair Trade products at Messe Stuttgart, Germany, which will run from 12 to 15 April. Nine (9) producer groups of WFTO Africa (COFTA) will also attend the trade exhibition.
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Producers’ training on intellectual property rights for design protection |
 Most handicraft producers are creating original designs but have little awareness of the commercial importance of design protection from copycats. Realizing the value of design protection and appreciation, Indonesian Fair Trade Organization Apikri invited a speaker from the Islamic University Indonesia to conduct training on intellectual property rights with their producers.
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What can you do to promote Fair Trade? More...
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