News 2010-11
DECEMBER
Here's a report-back from the 5th International Fair Trade Towns Conference.
Mosquito in Malmo?
Well, hardly. It was grey and foggy when the 5th International Fair Trade Towns Conference took place there over the weekend of November 19-20.
Paul and Arlene Renshaw represented MAFTTI as part of a US delegation of nine among the 200 delegates from over 20 countries.
So why start with a mosquito? (1).jpg)
Well, one of the African participants, Walter Alifo from Ghana, provided the soundbite of the conference: “If you think you are too small to make a difference, you have not been in bed with a mosquito!”
Well, one of the African participants, Walter Alifo from Ghana, provided the soundbite of the conference: “If you think you are too small to make a difference, you have not been in bed with a mosquito!”The thought behind the image – about real change starting small - often recurred as the two-day meeting proceeded, in plenary presentations and the sharing of experiences in groups made up of Fair Trade enthusiasts all the way from Brazil to Japan, from the US to Poland.
It was an invigorating weekend among a lot of young people that provided both food for thought (e.g. on why Fair Trade in bananas is so important) as well as lots of ideas about developing local Fair Trade campaigns.
It was great that Mankato was present as a newly-declared Fair Trade Town, the first in Minnesota – part of an ever-growing international network that now totals 1,070 communities in 23 countries in six continents.
In 2012 MAFTTI will be trying to capitalize on the Mankato City Council’s Fair Trade Town Declaration that it made on October 24 and spread the positive message about Fair Trade, reflecting what the conference heard about again from producers from the Global South (Kenya and Ghana this time).
At the same time, as Bruce Crowther, the primary initiator.jpg)
At the same time, as Bruce Crowther, the primary initiator
of the first Fair Trade Town (Garstang, England, 2001) said, “Fair Trade may not be perfect, but show me something better!"
For more about the Malmo conference see Paul and Arlene’s report here.
Also follow the Fair Trade Towns USA conference blog here.
Watch the trailer to "Bananas!"
Videos of the conference can be found here.
For more about the Malmo conference see Paul and Arlene’s report here.
Also follow the Fair Trade Towns USA conference blog here.
Watch the trailer to "Bananas!"
Videos of the conference can be found here.
NOVEMBER - CHRISTMAS IS COMING
Fair Trade Products at Mankato church bazaars
December 4 & 11:) First Congregational * Products from SERVV
November 27: ) and Beads for Life
November 13 & 20: First Presbyterian * Products from SERVV
November 13: St. John's Episcopal * 10,000 Villages Fair Trade Bazaar
November 6: Bethlehem Lutheran * Fair Trade booth - products from LWR
November 2: Bethlehem Lutheran * Fair Trade booth at Nordic Bazaar
OCTOBER - FAIR TRADE MONTH
MAJOR NEWS:
MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 6.00p.m.
MANKATO CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERED A RESOLUTION TO DECLARE MANKATO A FAIR TRADE TOWN.
THE RESOLUTION WAS PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. MANKATO IS A FAIR TRADE TOWN.
Other Fair Trade Month activities:
Fair Trade Display - Blue Earth County Library, October 1-31
Fair Trade Forum - for businesses and community organizations,
October 5, 7:30 - 9:00 a.m.
And "An Evening of Music and Fair Trade" - a special Fundraiser on Monday, October 17, 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. at Red Sky Lounge, Mankato.
Fair Trade stories and the music of Fish Frye, Sister Gin and the Jim McGuire Trio. A great success and a good fundraiser!
SEPTEMBER
September 9-11: First Fair Trade Towns and Fair Trade Universities Conference in Philadelphia. MAFTTI will be represented. Look out for news and report-back later in the month.
September 15: MAFTTI presentation on "What is Fair Trade and Why Should I Care?" at Mankato Family YMCA, 8.00p.m. Admission free. Plenty of room!
September 22: MAFTTI Meeting - report back from Philadelphia conference by MAFTTI/MSU delegate Holly Schwichtenberg. 7.00p.m. at St. John's E[iscopal Church, Warren/Broad Streets, Mankato.
AUGUST
Coming up:
Fair Trade Film Night - Thursday, August 18, 7.15p.m.
Film: "Birdsong and Coffee" - see trailer here
Venue: North Mankato City Hall Community Room, 1001, Belgrade Avenue
Admission free
*******
Big News:
MAFTTI has fulfilled the criteria of the national Fair Trade Towns campaign as far as Mankato is concerned! The next step will be an approach to the City Council to ask for consideration of a Fair Trade Town Declaration!!!
JULY
Coming up
1. Saturday: July 9 - North Mankato Fun Days Parade, 11.00am-1.00pm.
Look out for the second appearance of "Carmen Miranda".
*******
2. Wednesday: July 20 - MAFTTI Monthly Meeting
Focus on "Education on Fair Trade in Mankato Area schools".
7.00pm - Belgrade Avenue UMC (cnr Sherman/Belgrade)
JUNE
Almost straight from winter to summer. It's warming up at last! Time to check out which Ben & Jerry's ice-creams are already bearing the FTC logo. Hint - look at our Facebook page.
MAFTTI is 2 this month. Its date of birth is June 3, 2009. How time flies! MAFTTI has a special publication - an Anniversary Newsletter.
On June 3, 2011 we were happy to join in the celebrations for the achievement of 1,000 Fair Trade Towns around the world - in 22 countries, actually. A picture from MAFTTI appeared on the website of the international Fair Trade Towns campaign and will be one among many photos that accompany signatories to a Petition to MAKE TRADE FAIR that will be delivered to the G20 meeting in France on June 22-23.
MAY
MAFTTI's countdown to World Fair Trade Day, May 14, has begun. On Sunday, May 1, WFTD "Coffee Breaks", coordinated by the Fair Trade Resource Network (www.ftrn.org) took place at the Congregational, Episcopal and Presbyterian churches.
Pictured is a table center piece from the latter.More "Coffee Breaks" will follow, especially on May 15.
Other MAFTTI activities before and on World Fair Trade Day are:
1. May 9-14
Fair Trade Book Display - Barnes & Noble Booksellers, River Hills Mall, 1850 Adams Street, Mankato.
2. May 13-15
Fair Trade Coffee Sampling & Products Display - Hilltop Hy-Vee, 2010 Adams Street, Mankato.
Friday.................May 13...................................................4.00-6.00pm
Saturday.............May 14............10.00am-12 noon............4.00-6.00pm
Sunday...............May 15............10.00am-12 noon............4.00-6.00pm
3. World Fair Trade Day - Saturday, May 14
Fair Trade “Coffee of the Day” at local coffee shops:
Café Ambrosia, 1720 Commerce Drive, North Mankato.
Coffee Hag, 329 N Riverfront Drive, Mankato.
Dunn Bros., 1854 Madison Avenue, Mankato.
Fillin’ Station, 630 S Front Street, Mankato.
Smiley Cup, 1395 Madison Avenue, Mankato.
Sweet Shoppe 2, 1745 Commerce Drive, North Mankato.
Check our Facebook page for pictures of what went on.
APRIL
Is this Spring approaching despite the mid-April snow flurries? Whatever, MAFTTI people are almost too busy to notice.
On April 9 the Mayor of North Mankato held an hour-long "Coffee with the Council" session at a child care center on the edge of town. MAFTTI provided Equal Exchange coffee. Cakes (ginger, chocolate and fruit) were a great advertisement for Fair Trade ingredients. Afterwards a photoshoot produced a picture of Mayor Mark Dehen (4th from left) and Council Member Billy Steiner (R) with MAFTTI activists and others.
On April 17 MAFTTI again participated in the Mankato Area International Festival at Mankato East High School. This is always a colorful occasion, with much ethnic diversity on display. MAFTTI's table - with display boards, free literature and slideshow, Fair Trade goods for sale and Divine chocolate samples - was well patronized. Perhaps the best thing about a good day was the interest shown by university students.
MARCH
"Will this winter ever end?" 80+" of snow is way above average and there may be more to come.
Looking forward to Spring is a more optimistic activity - along with doing the groundwork for a new season of Fair Trade advocacy. There are several dates on the April agenda for which volunteers need to be rounded up and other contingencies put in place.
April 9: MAFTTI will act as hosts for the "Coffee with the Council" meeting, 10.00-11.00, at which North Mankato Mayor Mark Dehen will meet local citizens.
April 12: MAFTTI meeting at which a new PowerPoint CD will be launched.
April 17: Mankato International Festival - a colorful 11.00-4.00 event at Mankato East High School where MAFTTI will once again have a table.
April 28: Humane Society Wine and Chocolate - a high traffic event where MAFTTI will be present for the second year.
May 8-14: Fair Trade book table at Barnes and Noble bookshop.
May 13-15: five sessions of sampling of Fair Trade products at Hilltop Hy-Vee food store.
May 14: local coffee shops are being asked to offer Fair Trade coffee as their "Coffee of the Day" as well as accept FTRN literature.
Local churches are being asked to be the main participants in the World's Largest Coffee Break effort around World Fair Trade Day.
If you are in the Mankato area, read this and want to help, you know where to look!
FEBRUARY
IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR
If for you it's "Time for Divine" - go to www.divinechocolateusa.com
Or, for "Gifts of Fairness" - go to www.www.fairtradeusa.org
Or chase down that special gift that combines the personal and the principle.
Late in the month..........Easter is only two months away. It's another time to focus on chocolate.
Green America's Chocolate Scorecard is a handy reference for when you next have the urge to buy - and comes with a useful run-down of the main certifications of Fair Trade and the like.
JANUARY 2011
"SEEKING A FAIR TRADE TOWN DECLARATION -
WHAT CAN YOU OFFER?"
MAFTTI members invite anyone interested in Fair Trade to join them on the journey towards the possibility of a Fair Trade Town being declared in the Mankato area by the end of 2011.
A SPECIAL STRATEGY AND RESOURCE-GATHERING MEETING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 25 AT 7.00p.m.
VENUE: NORTH MANKATO CITY HALL COMMUNITY ROOM
1001, Belgrade Avenue, North Mankato
NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS
Some suggestions
I RESOLVE
1. to buy only Fair Trade coffee and tea (e.g. certified by Fair Trade USA or produced by a member of the Fair Trade Federation).
2. to buy cocoa and chocolate only from Fair Trade suppliers (e.g. Equal Exchange cocoa, Divine chocolate) because of my concern about the use of child labor on West African cacao farms.
3. to buy Fair Trade bananas and other fresh produce whenever possible.
4. to ask my local supermarkets to increase the regularity and volume of Fair Trade fresh produce.
5. to ask for a Fair Trade brand in any coffee shop I frequent that is not 100% committed to Fair Trade.
6. to look for other opportunities to interest local shops in stocking Fair Trade goods as they increase in diversity.
7. to advocate for Fair Trade in local networks in which I move – workplace, church, voluntary organization etc.
8. to press my local city councilor to take an interest in Fair Trade issues.
9. to encourage local media to take an interest in Fair Trade.
10.to support my local Farmers’ Market in the interests of promoting domestic Fair Trade.
DECEMBER - CHRISTMAS IS COMING
2. to buy cocoa and chocolate only from Fair Trade suppliers (e.g. Equal Exchange cocoa, Divine chocolate) because of my concern about the use of child labor on West African cacao farms.
3. to buy Fair Trade bananas and other fresh produce whenever possible.
4. to ask my local supermarkets to increase the regularity and volume of Fair Trade fresh produce.
5. to ask for a Fair Trade brand in any coffee shop I frequent that is not 100% committed to Fair Trade.
6. to look for other opportunities to interest local shops in stocking Fair Trade goods as they increase in diversity.
7. to advocate for Fair Trade in local networks in which I move – workplace, church, voluntary organization etc.
8. to press my local city councilor to take an interest in Fair Trade issues.
9. to encourage local media to take an interest in Fair Trade.
10.to support my local Farmers’ Market in the interests of promoting domestic Fair Trade.
DECEMBER - CHRISTMAS IS COMING
and Fair Trade producers will value your business
TEN THOUSAND VILLAGES
.jpg)
HOT PRESS: FAIR TRADE USA HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THE LAUNCH OF ITS NEW ETHICAL FASHION CERTIFICATION LABEL. IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING AND MARKS A SIGNIFICANT STEP IN THE BATTLE AGAINST SWEATSHOPS AND THE RAISING OF CONSCIOUSNESS AMONG AMERICAN CONSUMERS ABOUT THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH WEARING APPAREL IS OFTEN MADE.
MORE INFORMATION IS AT FAIR TRADE USA
NOVEMBER - SEASON OF BAZAARS
Fair Trade Bazaars are well-established at most of the Fair Trade Churches associated with MAFTTI.
First Congregational (UCC) has the last bazaar of the season on Sunday,
December 5, from 10.30a.m. at 150, Stadium Court, Mankato.
Bethlehem Lutheran's Nordic Bazaar in November also
features a Fair Trade table.
OCTOBER - FAIR TRADE MONTH
SEPTEMBER - FAIR TRADERS GATHER IN BOSTON, MA
OCTOBER - FAIR TRADE MONTH
The visit of film-maker John de Graaf on the 18th led to new inroads being made into the university. In the aftenoon he spoke to an audience of around 180 students about the making of his 2006 Fair Trade film "Buyer, Be Fair".
In the evening John spoke to the 100 who attended MAFTTI's second annual Fundraiser Dinner, about Fair Trade and also the Bhutan-inspired Happiness Index, which he is promoting in Seattle, his current place of residence.
The following day, John shared with faculty and students in MSU Recreation, Parks and Leisure about one of his related priorities, taking back time and fighting over-consumption
In the evening John spoke to the 100 who attended MAFTTI's second annual Fundraiser Dinner, about Fair Trade and also the Bhutan-inspired Happiness Index, which he is promoting in Seattle, his current place of residence.
The following day, John shared with faculty and students in MSU Recreation, Parks and Leisure about one of his related priorities, taking back time and fighting over-consumption
MAFTTI's display at the Blue Earth County Library, Main Street, downtown Mankato was well-received. It was removed at the end of October but can still be seen in the MAFTTI Photo Gallery.
SEPTEMBER - FAIR TRADERS GATHER IN BOSTON, MA
Fair Trade Futures Conference
Paul and Arlene Renshaw represented MAFTTI at the Fair Trade Futures Conference in Boston, MA, September 10-12. This was a big event – 782 attended – the first such gathering of the broad US Fair Trade movement, and others, since 2005.
All kinds of peo.jpg)
ple were there – a large number of Fair Trade retailers and wholesalers, Fair Trade Towns organizers (10%), Fair Trade producers from Latin America and Africa, college students and faculty, some high school students, people from Fair Trade certification bodies, campaigning bodies and faith communities.
ple were there – a large number of Fair Trade retailers and wholesalers, Fair Trade Towns organizers (10%), Fair Trade producers from Latin America and Africa, college students and faculty, some high school students, people from Fair Trade certification bodies, campaigning bodies and faith communities. Paul and Arlene also met other organizers of Fair Trade Town initiatives in many parts of the USA. They had a good chance to swap notes, and came back determined that MAFTTI finds ways of reaching the younger generation whose lives will see the great Sustainability issues become even more real for them.
Soundbite of the conference?
“To save the ecosystem we must transcend the ego-system”
(Kevin Danaher (co-Founder of Global Exchange) in his keynote address on the conference theme, "Transforming Our Global Community".)
Jackie DeCarlo, one of the organizers, has some reflections on YouTube here
