The Rt. Hon The Lord Mayor of Cardiff Councillor Derrick Morgan and Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Donald Wilson are using a video conference call to send out their congratulations on Friday 21st February to all involved to mark 10 years as Fairtrade Capitals while enjoying a cup of Fairtrade tea.
It was a chance meeting between an Edinburgh MP and the Director of the Fairtrade Foundation in Westminster that started the ball rolling in Scotland’s capital city. In Cardiff it was the Wales Fair Trade Forum that spurred action, meaning that both cities achieved the status of Fairtrade City in March 2004. Now 10 years on, Edinburgh and Cardiff are recognizing just how far things have come for Fair Trade. Not least is the outstanding accolade of both Wales and Scotland gaining the title of Fair Trade Nation.
The Lord Mayor said:
‘We’re particularly proud of being the world’s first Fairtrade capital and it’s wonderful we will start the celebrations with a very British Fairtrade cuppa as we look forward to Fairtrade Fortnight. Without so many people getting involved from shops and businesses we would not have made such progress and brought positive change to people experiencing desperate levels of poverty in countries across the world.’
“Fair trade is so important as it shines a beacon of hope in our world” added Donald Wilson. “Encouraging everyone to purchase an everyday fair trade item such as tea, coffee, bananas or a craft product has helped to improve the lives of thousands of people in the developing world and we must continue to support it”.
To be awarded Fairtrade City status, five goals need to be achieved; these include gaining strong commitment from the Council, local retailers, caterers, businesses and workplaces and the local community.
The concept of Fair Trade was already well-known in both cities in 2004 due to strong grassroots support, the back-up of established fair trade companies like Equal Exchange and One World Shop in Edinburgh and Fair Do’s in Cardiff, as well as the support of International Development agencies such as Christian Aid in Wales. Building on strong foundations both cities worked with volunteers from faith groups, schools, universities, shops, businesses, campaigning and trade justice groups to put in the work each year to gain the Fairtrade City status.
Each city has a steering group which meets regularly and organises public events, lectures and family activities with farmers and producers from overseas, communicating first hand just how much fair trade has made a difference in their lives and in their communities.
There are now Fair Trade Towns across the world from Australia and Japan in the east, to Poland and Western Europe, through to Canada and the USA in the west: 2206 in total.
