World Fair Trade Day 2015
WFTO Event
'Be an Agent for Change'
Fair Trade is an agent for change. It is a tangible solution to poverty eradication, a good tool for sustainable development, and most of all Fair Trade promotes social justice.
From 2015 until 2017, WFTO developed an overarching theme for World Fair Trade Day celebrations: ‘Be an Agent for Change’
Download theme rationale and ideas for WFTDay events and products.
Rationale:
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. Agentcan 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.
About World Fair Trade Day
The World Fair Trade Day is an initiative of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) that takes place on the second Saturday of May of each year. It is an inclusive worldwide festival of events celebrating Fair Trade as a tangible contribution to the fight against poverty and exploitation, climate change and the economic crisis that has the greatest impact on the world’s most vulnerable populations. 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, businesses and policy makers, supporting organizations and volunteers have contributed to the substantial growth of Fair Trade globally.
Supporting change
Fair Trade has produced change, and we will continue to do so. Fair Trade has improved the lives of several million small producers worldwide and their communities. Show your support. Use our web app and show to the world that Fair Trade People are everywhere, by sharing it on social media channels with hashtags #FairTrade and #WFTDay.
“Fair Trade was established to enable producers, especially the smaller ones, to improve their livelihoods in a sustainable fashion. With the support of conscientious consumers, Fair Trade has grown to become a sustainable solution to fight poverty and economic crisis. Today, Fair Trade impacts not only producers but all of us. Fair Trade is a movement of the people, by the people and for the people.” Natália Leal, WFTO Chief Executive