Heike Zimmermann - Collection

Heike Zimmermann Fairtrade Initiative Saarbrücken (FIS), Saarbrücken, Germany

19th of september 11 pm/The Last Interview/"The Last Photo"

Fleurance Laroppe  Peter Weichardt, (both Fairtrade Initiative Saarbrücken,) Rosa Guamàn, smallproducernetwork Ecuador and Thomas Schulz, attac Germany in Saarbrücken, at Berliner Promenade

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14th of september

A lovely picture with our major OB Charlotte Britz and the Fairtrade Initiative Saarbrücken -Team on a bike to carry something people like to

On Television: You might find yourself when you already joined in for the 14th of september in Saarbrücker Congresshall

Saarländischer Rundfunk /Aktueller Bericht 14.9.2017

Winner Cologne "German Fair Trade Capital 2017" (with  some photos)

15th - 17th of september Conference

 Please find photos and speaker presentations here

Press release from the 24th of September 2017

“How exciting!”

The Future of Fair Trade

regionally, in the EU and globally

International Fair Trade Towns Conference (IFTTC)

“Fair Trade across generations”

The IFTTC concluded on Sunday the 17^th of September with four establishments across the Saarland region receiving an award. The German-French high school was awarded the title Fairtrade School, the University for Technology and Business Saar was awarded the title Fairtrade University and the community Kirkel as well as the district of Saarlouis were awarded the title Fairtrade Community/District. In the year 2000, the initiator Bruce Crowther from Great Britain began the global movement that today includes close to 2,000 Fair Trade Towns. Further targets have thus been reached on the path to the ambitious project “Saarland, Fairtrade federal state”.

It was particularly the cross-border organisation of the conference by the Fairtrade Initiative Saarbrücken/Saarland that was welcomed by the more than 200 participants. These had the opportunity to get to know the partner cities of the QuattroPole on various excursions to Metz, Luxembourg and Trier.

EU award and fair trade in the textile industry

One highlight of the conference was Nikolaos Zaimis, the voice of the EU department for trade and sustainable development announcing a new European award to begin in 2018. The award aims to promote sustainable development beyond the Fair Trade Towns campaign.

Three EU delegates on the premise that “every trade should be fair” as well as Jean Feyder, the ambassador from Luxembourg for the United Nations, participated in the panel discussion. Jean Feyder broached the issue of easing import conditions for textiles that on the one hand strengthen the trade of China but on the other hand obliterate 25% of industrial workplaces in Nigeria, Senegal or Sambia (until 2005). Anjali Schiavina, from India, presented her concept as a textile company that solely processes bio and fair cotton and encouraged us to fill our wardrobes “differently”. The lives of millions of women in Asia, she says, depend on this change. This October, her home town Pondicherry will become the first Fair Trade Town in India.

Equal relations

Another highlight was the large number of representatives from 24 different countries, particularly from Latin America, Korea and Spain. Furthermore, there was an equal relation between South and North, entirely in accordance with the Fair Trade system.

During the workshops, experts broached issues such as the voting rights of producers and their equal relation to organisations in the North. Another important topic was the implementation of the 17 sustainable development goals, the global goals for sustainable development in the Agenda 2030 and of the ten principles of the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO). Considering the success of the IFTTC campaign, how can more people, especially younger generations be reached? It is social media and the awarding of Fairtrade schools and universities that play an important role.

“This successful movement was developed by active citizens. It should remain in their hands” says Bruce Crowther, who was affectionately referred to as the movement’s “grandfather” at the conference.

Rosa Guamán, member of the steering committee of the first Fair Trade Town Riobamba in Ecuador and president of the producer established seal “SPP Global” echoes this: “It is not about becoming rich as a producer, but about living in solidarity and equality without hand-outs or paternalism!”

This year’s cross-border conference, with its numerous representatives from the grass-roots movement, has demonstrated the possibilities for this. Next year, participants will be invited to Madrid to take new and past Fair Trade projects further.

* * * * *

The IFTTC is an annual meeting point for international, national and local stakeholders of Fair Trade and Fair Trade Towns. Further focal points are international cooperation and strategies of success of national campaigns. Alongside presentations, workshops focus on specific measures, local and sustainable procurement in municipal administration as well as global issues such as the UN sustainability goals and the further development of the Fair Trade system.

The conference was organised by the Fairtrade Initiative Saarbrücken (FIS) together with its QuattroFair partner organisations from Luxembourg, Metz and Trier. It took place in cooperation with the International Fairtrade Towns Steering Committee, Fairtrade International (FI) and the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO).

Contact:         ORGA-Team-PR der Fairtrade Initiative Saarbrücken
                        Heike Zimmermann, heikemariazimmermann@t-online.de , Mobile: +49 151 15695341

                        Diana Rode, d.rode@faires-saarland.de

Links:
Blog zur Konferenz                                                         http://www.IFTTC17.blogspot.com

QuattroFair                                                                      http://www.quattrofair.org
QuattroPole                                                                     http://www.quattropole.org
Fairtrade International:                                                    http://www.fairtrade.net
World Fair Trade Organization:                                      http://www.wfto.com
Int. Fair Trade Towns Steering Committee:                  http://www.fairtradetowns.org/contacts/int-ftts-steering-committee
Fairtrade Initiative Saarbrücken (FIS)                           http://www.faires-saarbruecken.de

From left to right: EU representatives Helmut Scholz, Nikolaos Zaimis, Arne Lietz, Elen Jones (Fair Trade Wales), Charles Gorges, Jean Feyder (ambassador from Luxembourg for the United Nations). In the front: Sergi Corbalán, director of the Fair Trade Advocacy Office (FTAO).

(Foto: Justin Irsch/FIS)