The World Fair Trade Day is an initiative of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) that takes place annually on the second Saturday of May. It is a worldwide festival of events celebrating Fair Trade as a tangible contribution to the fight against poverty, climate change and the economic crisis that has the greatest impact on the world’s most vulnerable populations. A third of the world’s population lives on less than 2 USD 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. Millions of producers and traders, business and policy-makers, supporting organizations and volunteers have contributed to the substantial growth of Fair Trade.
Fair Trade producers, their organizations, local and international marketing organizations, exporters, importers, wholesalers, retailers, volunteers and citizens celebrate Fair Trade in diverse events worldwide on WFTDay. On the frontlines are women, indigenous peoples, artisans, farmers and workers, who give testimony of the benefit of Fair Trade in their lives, a good reason to go out and celebrate World Fair Trade Day!
WFT Day 2015 : 9 May
‘Be an Agent for Change‘ is the theme for 2015 World Fair Trade Day celebration.
Download theme rationale and ideas for WFTDay events and products.
The rationale of the theme
Be is an invitation for participation in the day and not a strident demand for attention. It is not an instruction.
The dictionary defines an agent as a person or thing that takes an active role or produces a specified effect – the doer of an action.
Agent can be an individual – a consumer, a producer, a lobbyist, an event organiser. An agent can also be a company, a retailer, a community, a town.
Importantly an agent can also be a product – a shawl or a bag of coffee for example – and this should be addressed in the communications as these ‘agents’ can play a critical role in raising awareness of the issues and providing a solution through the product itself.
Agent for and not of change. An important distinction – for means the agent can support change, and throughout their actions encourage change but they are not themselves the change.
Positive change in livelihoods of producers, in attitudes of consumers, in trade policies, in the approach of business and retailers.