Fairtrade fortnight is a yearly campaign to promote and support the future of fair-trade. It is organised and funded by the Fairtrade foundation to increase awareness of the available fair-trade products and its ethics.
Lots of volunteers are able to show their support for the general concepts of Fairtrade as well as ethical trading and development issues. The idea was originally established in 1997, by the foundation itself in the UK.
The concept behind Fairtrade is to ensure that cocoa farmers are paid fairly for their work and are able to live a dignified life. So for 2 weeks in the year, so many people around the world celebrate the people who grown our foods. This year Faritrade have been focusing on women who grow the cocoa in chocolate, in particular.
The launch in Scotland featured the chairman of charity Christian Aid, who broke a bar of fair-trade chocolate to launch the event. It was a great success and every supermarket in Scotland started to stock the products. The fortnight which is 25 February - 10 March, saw Fairtrade offering and asking more towns to stock the products.
Fairtrade Fortnight then began to spread to the rest of the United Kingdom in 1998. Now, Fairtrade Fortnights are celebrated in several countries, most notably Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Awareness raising and promotion of Fairtrade certified products to the public are the main objectives of the Fortnight.
Usually events held during the fortnight include:
• Fetes
• Fairs
• Fairtrade food and drink tastings,
• Fashion shows
• Community, school, college and university events
The events are usually supported by local authorities and governments, Fairtrade Steering Groups, lots of charities and ATOs, which are seeking that the locals purchase fair and ethically traded produce. Local schools and colleges where Fairtrade is a frequently discussed topic can also play significant roles during Fairtrade Fortnight.
Events are shown on Fairtrade licensing websites (e.g. the Fairtrade Foundation in the UK). Most media outlets are keen to support a fast-growing trend in which previously disadvantaged third world producers have a fairer market to sell their wares and develop their economic capabilities.