Fair Trade: Going Beyond the Symbol www.waterfordoneworldcentre.com jennifer@waterfordoneworldcentre.com 051 873064

Aims To explore the meaning behind the Fair Trade symbols To use Fair Trade as a ‘foot hold’ issue from which to explore other development topics To provide practical examples of development education methodologies that can be used in your classrooms To provide practical examples of how development education links to your curriculum Kwl, go over the ‘w’ to make sure covered by workshop

Today’s Plan… Background: What is Fair Trade? Our Campaign: Looking Behind the Symbol Fair Trade, Development Education and Your Teaching Practice KWL

Activity: Interdependence "Before you finish eating your breakfast this morning you've depended on half the world. We aren't going to have peace on earth until we recognize this basic fact.“ – Martin Luther King, Jr. List ireland v. rest of world and if we can get them fairtrade/buy local if you can, buy fairtrade

Tea Asia all over Yes, readily available Coffee Africa, South America Orange Juice Tropical (FT Brazil) Yes, Tesco & Lidl, small shops Sugar Temperate (Brazil, EU) Porridge/Grains Ireland Eggs Milk Rasher/Sausage Banana India, Uganda, China Chocolate Across Africa and South America Tomato Probably Spain No Strawberries Baked Beans (Navy) China Almonds California, Spain, Mediterranean Tough but there are some

What is Fair Trade or is it Fairtrade? Fair Trade refers to the overall global trading system and calls for trade rules and regulations that do not favour large corporations or governments Fairtrade, and other labels, refer to a specific set of requirements for products and thus is a subset of Fair Trade Activity: Building the Definition. With just title up, ask if people know difference between fair trade and fairtrade In groups, A trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency, and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, disadvantaged producers and workers—especially in the South.(FINE, 1998)

What role does Free Trade play? Fair Trade Main Goal To increase a nations economic growth To empower people to better their own lives Focus On Trade policies between countries Commerce between individuals and small businesses Benefits MNC’s, governments Farmers, artisans, etc in developing countries Critics Say Marginalises small producers and environment Interferes with free trade, inefficient, small scale Compensation Determined By Market and government policies Living wage and community improvement costs Key Advocate Organisations WTO, World Bank, IMF Fairtrade International, World Fair Trade Organisation, Fairtrade Ireland Adapted from Fair Trade Resources Organisation

Arguments Against Fair Trade Fair Trade artificially sets minimum wages and prices Recent study found that Fair Trade didn’t have an appreciable positive impact on local economy or wages Fairtrade (the brand) crowds out other ethically sources products Fair Trade perpetuates charity model of aid vs. justice model ‘The Masking Problem’

Activity: Prioritise the Principles What a Fair Trade certification generally means… Activity: Prioritise the Principles Do pyramid with FT principles – go through these and then say we are going to look at FT principles in detail, and make pyramid shape based on priority– have groups be prepared to report back on what they put on the top and why

What’s the difference and does it matter?

Activity: Moving Debate: Let’s Explore Fair Trade… Statement 1: Reducing food miles is more important than buying Fair Trade Statement 2: Trade rules and regulations should be left to the market to figure out. Statement 3: Fair Trade is an instrument of justice. Statement 4: In Ireland today, people are too worried about their own money to care about producers in far away countries. Statement 5: Dubble only?

Fair Trade and the Waterford One World Centre 2012 Kimmage Development Studies Centre Study: Majority of Irish people support Fair Trade/Fairtrade without understanding the reasons why 80% of people surveyed in Waterford said they would like to know more about Fair Trade Waterford One World Centre uses this support for FT to approach a wider range of development issues such as environmental sustainability, gender equity, child labour, forced labour, poverty, fair wages, solidarity, etc. Our goal is for people to understand why they support Fair Trade and when they buy a Fair Trade product to understand that they are taking an action that impacts global justice rather than that they are giving charity We believe that teaching Fair Trade across the curriculum supports both students’ learning in the subject area and deepens the connection to global justice

Links to Curricula Fair Trade Art, Craft, Design: Have students design a Fair Trade poster CSPE/TY: Promote active citizenship through a campaign during Fairtrade Fortnight Business: Look at FT Cooperatives as a Model for Small Business Geography: Explore the interdependent nature of trade Fair Trade Interdisciplinary English: Write a persuasive letter to a politician about importance of Fair Trade Science: Examine sustainable farming methods used by FT coops Religion: Explore Fair Trade as a global justice issue Maths: Use graphs to represent Fair Trade sales over time

PE: Promote the Use of Fair Trade Footballs Home Economics: Hold a Fair Trade Fashion Show or Fair Trade Bake Sale Action Ideas Across the Curriculum Business Studies: Open a Fair Trade Tuck Shop or Campaign to Make Existing Shop Fair Trade

Please answer the following questions on the back of KWL: Do you think you will use any of the activities with your classes? Which one? Why? Do you think you will use the Fair Trade learning with your students? How about with people that are not your students? What is one thing that could be added to this workshop to make it better?