International Fair Trade Conference in Japan invited to Bristol
Bristol’s Fairtrade Co-ordinator attended the 8th International Fair Trade Towns Conference in Kumamoto, Japan at the weekend to invite the 270 delegates from 21 countries to come to Bristol for the 2015 Conference.
Jenny Foster was one of 6 delegates attending from the UK and led 2 workshops as well as concluding the Conference with the invitation to Bristol and the official handover from Shoko Akashi, Chair of Kumamoto Fairtrade Steering Committee.
The International Fair Trade Towns Conference in 2015 in Bristol will focus on the theme of Fairtrade and Sustainability as part of Bristol’s celebrations as European Green Capital. Delegates in Japan were very enthusiastic about coming to Bristol, to learn about our successful environmental, Fairtrade and sustainable food policies. Fairtrade supports sustainable food production and a low carbon society through strict environmental standards, supporting smallholder farming methods and training for farmers on climate change adaptation.
The Fairtrade Towns movement started in the UK and Bristol became a Fairtrade City in 2005. Kumamoto is the first Fairtrade Town in Asia, though campaigns are now starting in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea. Many Universities in Asia are working towards becoming Fairtrade Universities.
Bristol won the bid to host the 9th International Fair Trade Towns Conference in 2015 because of their strong record for Fairtrade and the interest in how Fairtrade links with other sustainability issues. 2015 will also mark Bristol’s 10 years as a Fairtrade City.