In September, I had the privilege of travelling to South Africa to attend the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) Summit in Cape Town, followed by the International Fair Trade Towns Conference in Paarl, Drakenstein. These gatherings brought together a diverse group of Fair Trade advocates, businesses, and campaigners to discuss how we can continue to drive forward the Fair Trade movement on a global scale.
WFTO Summit
The WFTO Summit kicked off in the heart of Cape Town’s business district. We were greeted by the Rainbow Choir who were incredible and made sure our energy levels were high, ready for the week ahead. There were a vast range of topics covered at the Summit- from the need for greater Intra-African trade and in-country value addition, to how the Fair Trade movement can advocate for producers in light of the new EU Deforestation Regulation. Despite the breadth of subjects covered, many of the conversations came back to the fact that we need a new economy, and a new, fairer way of doing business.
WFTO Kickstart Malawi Programme
My personal highlight of the Summit was being able to meet (in-person!) the social enterprises who are part of the Scottish Fair Trade – WFTO Africa Kickstart Malawi programme. Ngaba from Thanthwe, Atusaye from Malawi Fruits and Maria and Z from Kibebe were all present at the Summit. Thanthwe and Kibebe were stallholders which made for a great opportunity from them to showcase their vibrant products. We’re looking forward to continuing our work on the programme and connecting these fantastic Fair Trade enterprises with others in the UK.
If you would like to look at the exhibition stalls yourself, you can do so virtually through the expo catalogue, available here: WFTO Cape Town Summit Expo.
International Fair Trade Towns Conference
At the Conference, I was given the opportunity to deliver a presentation on Scotland’s experience as a Fair Trade Nation. I spoke about the significant milestones we have achieved collectively on a local and national level, and provided some examples of the work of passionate grassroots campaigners across the country. It was great to connect with others who are interested in pursuing Fair Trade Region and Nation status. We hope that the Refreshed Criteria will provide a helpful framework for others looking to build similar campaigns.
And of course, the end of the Conference was marked by the sound of bagpipes playing over the speakers along with the announcement that next year the IFTTC will be held in Edinburgh! We can’t wait to welcome delegates to Edinburgh next year.
By Kiera Wilkins, 30 October 2024
