Fairtrade Fortnight has become a significant and engaging regional highlight annually with events taking place across Northern Ireland and in County Down.
Through local action the Caribbean, Latin American, Africa and Pacific countries are better able to participate in global trade, assisting these regions in their own international development and poverty reduction.
Fairtrade products are grown under strict social and environmental best practices, tackling exploitation, not only the price being paid, but child labour and human trafficking. Consumers want to know the origin of products they consume and are grown ethically.
Fairtrade Fortnight 2017, which runs from February 27 to March 12, brings together individuals, government, business, schools, places of worship, universities, colleges, and communities to create awareness and support for developing world farmers who grow much of our food.
This Festival is part of the main agenda to make Northern Ireland a Fairtrade region: www.northernirelandfairtrade.org with all our local councils playing their part.
The African Caribbean Support Organisation Northern Ireland (ACSONI), a member of the Belfast Festivals Forum and stakeholder in the Festival and Fairtrade, made billboards available and located them in key centres to promote Fairtrade Fortnight 2017. Additional support was provided by the UK Fairtrade Foundation, Fairtrade Ireland and the Consulate of St Vincent and the Grenadines to Northern Ireland.
Dr Christopher Stange, Hon. Consul for St. Vincent and the Grenadines to Northern Ireland & Secretariat of the All Party Group on Fair-trade, said: “Fairtrade Fortnight 2017 combines events with engagement from developing world producers and the community. This year we will have a Fairtrade coffee and cocoa producer tour provided by Fairtrade Ireland.
“This creates awareness of the plight of marginalised producers, getting people to think about trade and the influence in purchasing the public has in considering products on our shelves. We thank ACSONI, Belfast Festivals Forum and the Fairtrade Foundations as without their continued support this would not be possible and is making a real impact on the ground for developing world farmers across the globe.”
