Beilul Naizghi protesting to end sweatshops June 2013 Photo Credit: Global Exchange
The following Fair Trade Roundup was written by Global Exchange Fair Trade Summer intern Beilul Naizghi.
This issue focuses on Global Exchange’s World’s Finest Campaign and reminding you to vote in the Fair Trade Resource Network’s photo contest, plus the vetted list of Fair Trade related articles below in the “News to Peruse” section.
Roundup Sections:
- Featured Fair Trade Updates
- Global Exchange Fair Trade Update
- Fair Trade News to Peruse
1. Featured Fair Trade Update:
You have one week left to vote in the Fair Trade Resource Center’s Photo Contest! The 12 winning photos will be featured in the 2014 Fair Trade Calendar, with the most voted photo on the cover. The contest ends Tuesday July 9.
2. Global Exchange Fair Trade Update: World’s Finest Campaign
For the past few years Global Exchange has been working with schools, churches and community groups from around the country to pressure World’s Finest to stay true to its fundraising legacy by purchasing at least five percent of its cocoa from fair trade cooperatives.
With an estimated annual sales of over $110 million, World’s Finest ranks among the eight largest chocolate companies in the U.S. and has sold nearly six billion bars. Meanwhile, approximately 66% of children working on cocoa farms in the Ivory Coast don’t attend school because they’re busy toiling in unsafe conditions.
If World’s Finest were to start buying Fair Trade cocoa, our hope is that more Fair Trade cocoa farmers would be able afford to send their children to school and pay adult workers instead of employing children.
What can you do? Help us send World’s Finest a message by signing this online petition urging World’s Finest Chocolate to go Fair Trade!
3. Fair Trade News to Peruse:
- Fair Trade America: Letter from Hans P. Theyer about New Business Opportunities
- Fair Trade Resource Network: FTRN Seeks Feedback on Organization’s Direction:
- The New York Times: Obama to Suspend Trade Privileges With Bangladesh
- Triple Pundit: Soccer Meets Fair Trade to Change Lives On and Off the Field
- Mercury News: Fairfax girl’s lemonade to fight child slavery
- Global Coffee Review: Farmers to have equal say in Fairtrade
- Market Watch: Fair Trade fashion gaining momentum after Bangladesh tragedies
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