LONDON, UK – Fairtrade Fortnight 2022 (21st February – 6th March) returns with its Choose the World You Want Festival for the second year to highlight how Fairtrade is the simple choice we can all make to support farmers and workers to adapt to the effects of climate change. The Fairtrade Foundation hopes people will engage with Fairtrade Fortnight once again this year, as part of their ongoing efforts to protect people and planet.
The online festival, which runs for the two weeks of Fairtrade Fortnight, will feature around 40 virtual events designed to engage, inform, and educate people about the harmful effect of the climate crisis on farmers and food supplies.
Kicking off the two-week campaign on Monday 21st February at 7pm, actress and Fairtrade patron Adjoa Andoh will chair a screening of a ‘special cut’ of Caroline’s Story, a ground-breaking new documentary by Nyakobi Kahura. The film is part of a series that showcases how the climate crisis is impacting farming right now, and how through working with Fairtrade, producers are already taking action to overcome these challenges. The ‘Farmers Fighting the Climate Crisis’ virtual event will feature a Q&A with the film’s director, Nyakobi Kahura, and a producer representative of the co-operative featured in the film.
Fairtrade Foundation CEO Mike Gidney will host a panel discussion with producer representatives, posing the question ‘what next?’ following the UN climate talks. Taking place at 1pm also on 21st February, the session will include an audience Q&A. Fairtrade producer representatives played an important role at the global event and the session will reveal perspectives from the farm.
Chef and Fairtrade patron Allegra McEvedy will host ‘Climate education for Climate Justice’ at 4pm on 22nd February, an event to explore the role of the education sector in building a more just, sustainable world for farmers and the planet that we all share. Expect to hear from members of the Let’s Go Zero coalition, and big names from the education world.
Tune into ‘The Unfair Climate Crisis’ at 6pm 1st March to hear more about the injustice at the heart of the climate crisis, loss and damage, and need for climate funding to reach farmers. This event will be a discursive exploration of the intrinsic link between climate, trade, and injustice within the context of Fairtrade’s long-term work of improving global trade justice, featuring Mithika Mwenda, Executive Director & Secretary to CEB, of the Pan African Climate Alliance, and another special guest to be announced.
Many more events organised by Fairtrade’s extensive network of campaigners, partners, brands and retailers and supporters under the umbrella of the festival will run throughout the two-week period. These include events organised by Fairtrade community groups across the UK, events run by Fairtrade’s commercial partners, such as Tony’s Chocolonely, retail partner events, a Fair Focus webinar, two high level policy events engaging our APPG and politicians and much more.
The full line up and exact times for the festival can be found at https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/choose-the-world-you-want-festival/
This Fairtrade Fortnight is an opportunity for individuals, communities, and businesses around country to stand with farmers in low-income countries like Honduras and Uganda who are impacted daily by climate change.
Sarah Brazier, Campaigns Manager at the Fairtrade Foundation, said: ‘The farmers and workers who grow our food need to be able to adapt to new ways of farming. We have another chance at COP27 this year for world leaders to tackle the climate crisis and secure finance, fast.
‘We hope that joining the festival will encourage support for Fairtrade from the British public and British businesses, who will be inspired to choose Fairtrade and choose the world they want to see – a world where climate justice is a reality for all.’
Each year, thousands of schools, organisations and communities nationwide play a key role in promoting Fairtrade Fortnight through their own campaigns, events and materials, in order to help raise awareness of the link between trade and poverty. This includes a ‘Fairtrade Walk’ organised by Fairtrade London, to explore the history of trade and exploitation, a virtual baking masterclass with Fairtrade Yorkshire, and an online event on climate, race and fashion with Fair Trade Wales.
As valued members of the Fairtrade movement, thousands of Fairtrade towns, villages, schools, and churches are proud to use Fairtrade products, including tea, coffee, sugar, and biscuits, and to support Fairtrade as a key solution for making trade fairer for those in lower-income countries.
Join us this Fairtrade Fortnight and choose to act for climate justice. To find out more about how to take part in 2022, visit www.fairtrade.org.uk/fortnight
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