There’s a quarter century of tradition behind Dynasty Court’s...
2010-03-23
Mike Baños
Kapihan
A Big Week for the Planet: Cagayan de Oro celebrates World Fair Trade Day 2010
By Raelita Legaspi
Cagayan
de Oro will celebrate with the world as it calls for change during this year’s
celebration of World Fair Trade Day 2010
(WFTDay).
The
Advocate of Philippine Fair Trade, Inc. (APFTI), The Fair Trade Shop, the Amihanang
Mindanao Fair Trade Producers Association, the World Fair Trade
Organization-Philippines (WFTO-Phils) and other Fair Trade partners like Salay
Handmade Paper Industries, Inc. have prepared various activities from May 25 to
31 to raise awareness and promote the Fair Trade cause.
A
Big Day for the Planet
The
WFTDay is an annual celebration of all Fair Trade supporters and all those who
share its goals worldwide to support trade justice for small producers and
respond to poverty and climate change.
Mrs. Raelita Legaspi, APFTI Region 10 Area
Coordinator, said that the activities they set up for this year’s celebration
is intended for a wider audience. “We want more and more people to get involved
in Fair Trade,” she said. “We designed the events to be fun and informative to
get the interest of the youth as an advocacy group and still appeal to other cause-oriented individuals and organizations.”
The
following activities are lined up for the week-long celebration:
·Fair Trade
Caravan, May 25-31 – buy fairly traded food, craft, and wellness
products
·Free World
Fair Trade Day Henna Tatoo, May 25-28 – at the Fair Trade
Caravan
·The Bag
Lady!
- donate used plastic bags to help clean our environment
·Fair Trade
Colloquium, May 25 - for small producers (Gloria Maris Function
rooms, 2nd floor)
·Make Your Mark,
May 25-31-
express your support for Fair Trade with art or messages
·Youth for
Fair Trade! May 28 - the coolest party event this summer!
The Youth for Fair Trade! party event will be held at Cuccina de
Oro/Zorba’s Greek Cuisine, Limketkai Drive while all other activities will be
held at the Rotunda of Limketkai Mall for accessibility.
"World Fair Trade Day is
a celebration for the eradication of poverty.Hop-in, get involved and
support Fair Trade. You can make a difference inthe lives of many disadvantaged producers in the
world." said Mr. Neil
Francis Rafisura, General Manager of the Fair Trade Shop-Cagayan de Oro
Don’t
Just Buy, Buy Just
This
year’s WFTDay celebration also calls for such change in the way people
consume—making them aware of their power to create meaningful change in other
people’s lives.
“People can contribute in making a
huge difference by simply changing their consumption patterns,” according to
Mr. Gabby Lopez, APFTI Chairperson. “Practicing responsible shopping and making
a conscious effort to support our small producers and their products would go a
very long way.”
By
patronizing Fair Trade products, consumers are assured that small producers get
a fair deal, paid proper compensation, are working under safe conditions,
women’s and children’s rights and preserved, and environment-friendly
procedures are practiced.
You
can buy Fair Trade products at the Fair Trade Shop-CDO located at Door 108 ground floor, De Leon Plaza Bldg., Yacapin cor. Velez
streets, Cagayan de Oro city. There is another Fair Trade Shop in Cebu with
plans of putting up other shops in Davao, Bicol, Iloilo, Aklan, Baguio, and
Manila.
Celebration
Continues
The
culminating activity of the WFTDay celebration will be the Fair Trade Fair at the Eastwood Mall in Quezon City on May 27-29.
The
first day will feature the launching of the PhilippineFair Trade Mark
and Fair Trade labelled products: gifts, toys, fashion accessories, processed
food and other delicacies. This will be followed by the Fair Trade Fashion Show in partnership with Ms. Michelle Lim of Okasyon featuring Fair Trade fashion
accessories and a concert by VOX Manila.
Mr. Vicente Roaring, APFTI Executive
Director and WFTO-Phils Board of Directors, is inviting everyone to join the
celebrations. “Come celebrate with us in our events and activities and make
this year’s celebration a truly big day for the planet. Your participation
would help create a promising future for hundreds of our small producers.”
-Fair Trade is proactive poverty
alleviation through innovative and high quality Philippine food and handicraft
products.
-Fair Trade provides
opportunities to disadvantaged Philippine producers, provides fair and
equitable working conditions and helps address climate change, whilst
generating profits.
About APFTI
The
Advocate of Philippine Fair Trade, Inc envisions an empowered community of
entrepreneurs fighting poverty and contributing to sustainable development
through Fair Trade. APFTI provides business and product development services,
advocacy and market access assistance to small and medium community
enterprises.
For more information
Ms. Raelita Legaspi, Region 10 Area Coordinator, APFTI
