Dear WFTO members,
The Fair Trade Beyond 2015 campaign ( http://www.fairtrade-advocacy.org/beyond2015 ) is reaching a key moment, a month before the WFTO Biennial conference. I strongly believe this campaign is a good opportunity for Fair Trade Organizations to join a global Fair Trade campaign and to promote your own organization.
The list of signatory mayors and supporting civil society organizations will be officially presented to the Brazilian Social Affairs Ministers at the Opening Ceremony of the WFTO Conference on 27 May 2013 in Rio. Numerous European and North-American mayors have indicated they are going to sign the “Fair Trade Beyond 2015” declaration (see attach). Most of them will do so in events organized on the run-up to or around World Fair Trade Day.
Let us hope that we will also get many signatures from mayors of towns from the Global South!
I would like to again highlight the importance of this campaign for the Fair Trade movement. We have to seize this unique occasion to speak to the world as one movement united – and we need to make sure that the WFTO is speaking with a strong voice for Fair Trade in the global sustainable development framework when the current Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) come to an end. The signatures of mayors (directly local elected leaders) are key for the success. Please do not see this as a burden onto your already busy schedule but rather as a great opportunity to have an excuse to interconnect with little effort with your local authority and thereby attract the attention of the local media for your work, possibly in relation to World Fair Trade Day.
You can find the declaration in different languages on the campaign web page: www.fairtrade-advocacy.org/beyond2015 Should you be interested to receive the campaign materials, you can also contact Peter Mohringer ( beyond2015@fairtrade-advocacy.org ).
Sincerely,
Rudi Dalvai
WFTO President
