Here’s your roundup of Fair Trade news and updates. This week, a few deadlines for you to keep in mind, along with some creative ways to incorporate Fair Trade into your Easter or Passover celebration.

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Domincan Republic Fair Trade cocoa farmer/cooperative leader

INVITE FAIR TRADE TO YOUR EASTER OR PASSOVER CELEBRATION

Easter and Passover are two of the BEST times to ask Hershey to eliminate child and forced labor from its supply chain and start sourcing Fair Trade.
Why?
Easter:  More chocolate is sold in the US at Easter than any other time of the year, except Halloween. And Hershey manufactures Cadbury Crème Eggs and other products sold in the US.
Passover:  Passover is a time of reflection on slavery specifically, and an appropriate time to raise awareness about forced labor.

Here are some suggested actions you can take at your congregation and/or family gathering:

Easter and Passover:

  • Screen the documentary The Dark Side of Chocolate in the weeks leading up to Easter or Passover. (Please order the DVD at least two weeks before your screening.)
  • Collect signatures on the Raise the Bar Hershey Campaign petition.

Easter:

  • Kids:  Color in this letter and send it to Hershey!
  • Use Fair Trade Certified eggs, bunnies, minis, and other chocolates for Easter egg hunts, baskets, and festivities, listed here

Passover:
Use Global Exchange’s Fair Trade Haggadah insert during your Passover Seder.  The insert is written in the lyrical language of the Haggadah, and evokes the themes of Passover, to integrate modern social justice issues seamlessly into your Passover observance.

Graphic Credit: ILRF

BRAND JAMMING CONTEST DEADLINE APRIL 10, 2011

The window of opportunity to enter the Hershey Brand Jamming contest is about to close! This contest is part of the Raise the Bar Hershey Campaign’s efforts to urge Hershey to end child and forced labor and trafficking in the cocoa fields of West Africa, as well as shift sourcing to Fair Trade, which prohibits these practices. The winner of the Hershey Brand Jam contest will receive $1,000.

There are two ways for you to get involved:

  1. Enter the contest yourself
  2. Help spread the word by clicking the Facebook “Share” and Twitter “Tweet” buttons next to this post and encourage others to do the same.

In case you missed it, here’s a bit more about the contest: Brand jamming generally uses parody, satire, and humor to expose undesirable corporate practices, often with mock ads. The brand jamming contest has three categories:

  1. Slogan/tagline
  2. Advertisement, up to 8.5×11
  3. Video, up to 2 minutes

For contest information, go to the Raise the Bar Hershey Campaign web page.

GREEN FESTIVAL HITS SAN FRANCISCO THIS WEEKEND, COMPLETE WITH FAIR TRADE PAVILION

The Green Festival is celebrating its tenth year, and this weekend it hits San Francisco once again. So if you’re in the Bay Area this weekend, head for the Fair Trade pavilion at the SF Green Fest to shop, learn, and explore!
Here’s a sneak peek of the event guide.

FAIR TRADE CONFERENCE REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS APRIL 18
FTF Annual Conference ~ Building Up Fair Trade
The US Fair Trade community will connect in Milwaukee at the Fair Trade Federation conference from May 6-8. They’re adding to the list of speakers, marketplace vendors, and participants all the time. So check here for registration info and updates.

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT:

Article: ILRF Highlights of the 2010 Tulane University Report on the Cocoa Industry
Article: Hershey under fire for allegedly relying on child labor in cocoa supply chain
Press Release: New Premium, Minimum Price and Trade Standards in Coffee

Check back here on our Fair Trade blog for more Fair Trade News Round-Ups…your one-stop shop for current Fair Trade news and events. And if you’ve got big Fair Trade news to share, email me!

Annual Mayan celebration--Guatemala, March 2011

P.S. I just returned from a trip to Guatemala where I traveled with some folks from WorldofGood.com by eBay to learn about Guatemala’s history, political landscape, and culture. We explored how Fair Trade and economic empowerment impact local artisan groups throughout the country. I’ll be sharing pictures and stories from our journey right here on our Fair Trade blog soon, so stay tuned!