Group picture from WFTO conference in Mombasa, 2011

Be Inspired Before you Expire!

If you are a dreamer, a believer, a person looking for a meaning to your actions, then it's never too late to BE INSPIRED and to go for it.

The WFTO 11th biennial conference was launched with the theme of:
WFTO: A global partnership for a common good.

...What is a common good? It is the present, it is us, working together hand in hand and putting the interest of small producers in our hearts and minds, in order to walk towards the ultimate goal of reaching a fairer and more transparent trading system.

Despite the global shaky economy that affects our understanding of the "common good", we all gathered here in Mombasa to reaffirm the foundations, the principles and the beauty of an organization uniting more than 700 Fair Trade actors worldwide.

This global conference, of just a few days, was a great opportunity to share expertise and stories! I've met artisans from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Swaziland...as well as Asian participants from India, Bangladesh, Philippines, Nepal and the list goes on.

I can't describe the thrill that sprinkles in ones heart in such a rich gathering, but I can try and give you a small idea by quoting this sentence:

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams" -Eleanor Roosevelt.

WFTO 11th Biennial Global Conference

Today is registration day….By now, almost all the participants have arrived to Mombasa.
More info about the launching of the conference will be posted tomorrow, until then, I've added some pictures of the coastal view.

Pictures taken from the Sai Rock beach hotel...Ocean looks amazing.

Headed to Mombasa, KENYA!

So I left Lebanon today at 4:00 AM and headed to Mombasa, the second largest city in Kenya, renowned for its beautiful coastal view and its location by the Indian Ocean!

I’ve taken 3 flights:

Departure: BEIRUT -> to Doha, Qatar (3 hours) -> to Nairobi, capital of Kenya (5 hours) -> arrival to: Mombasa, internal flight (1 hour).

I got here at 4:00 PM, May 21st….total journey of 12 hours.

I’ll be staying in Kenya until the 28^th and representing Fair Trade Lebanon at the 11^th Biennial Global Conference of the WFTO.

I’m very excited to participate in this global gathering of worldwide Fair Trade actors. I’m also looking forward to witnessing the huge organizational effort that was done by the WFTO global office and the KEFAT NGO in order to put together the entire event. Not to mention, all the positive networking and outcome expected for Fair Trade Lebanon *fingers crossed*! J

More updates will be posted soon...

Pictures from the Fair Trade Fortnight 2011!

For the third consecutive year, Fair Trade Lebanon celebrates the Fair Trade Fortnight

From May 14th until the 29th, Fair Trade Lebanon (FTL) is celebrating the Fair Trade Fortnight in Lebanon. This event of international scope, aims to inform, educate and mobilize the public around Fair Trade as an alternative consumption model that respects people and the environment.

The Fortnight celebration revolves around the World Fair Trade Day, designated on May 14th, 2011. This important date is organized in partnership of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), which gathers over 400 fair trade actors from 73 countries and of which FTL is a member since September 2010. The theme for the 2011 edition is "Trade for people: Fair Trade your world.”

Fair Trade Lebanon joins the event: During these fifteen days of campaign, FTL has mobilized more than ten renowned restaurants that have committed to serving fair trade products in their menus as well as communicating about this theme.

This effort to raise awareness for Fair Trade is supported by the French Embassy in Lebanon.

Restaurants celebrating the Fair Trade Fortnight in Lebanon

Fair Trade Lebanon is celebrating the Fair Trade Fortnight in Lebanon from the 14th until the 29th of May 2011...this big event is in partnership with local restaurants:

• Chez Paul 3 branches: Ghazir highway, Gouraud Street Gemmayzeh, ABC Ashrafieh
• La Mie Dorée CCF, Damascus Road, Mathaf, Tel: 01 42 02 17
• Lina’s Le Mall (Sin el Fil and Saida), ABC (Ashrafieh and Dbayeh), Jal el Dib, Kaslik
www.linalb.com
• Downtown Zeidan building, Kaslik, Tel: 09 222 211
• DT An Nahar building, Central Beirut District, Tel: 01 999 932
• Sô Quantum Tower, Ashrafieh, Tel : 01 336 644
• Soho Karagulla building, Central Beirut District, Tel : 01 999 938

This event supported by the French Embassy in Lebanon

Fair Trade Lebanon's video presented to the WFTO

The World Fair Trade Organization has asked all of its members and supporters to produce a 60 second video about their work, activities, producers or any other interesting topic related to fair trade...

The video we produced is about Walid, a young farmer from Deir el Ahmar, who has replaced his cannabis plants with vineyards...Enjoy his testimony...

May 14th: World Fair Trade Day 2011!

From May 14th until the 28th, Fair Trade Lebanon is celebrating the Fair Trade Fortnight in Lebanon. This event, of international dimension, revolves around the World Fair Trade Day on the 12th of May and aims to raise awareness for Fair Trade as an alternative trading system that respects people and the environment.

During our fifteen days of campaign, table mats about fair trade will be placed in 12 different restaurants which also agreed to include some of Fair Trade Lebanon’s products into their menus!

In addition to that, and to gather more people into this global celebration, FTL will hold a stand at the Garden Show Spring Festival taking place at the Hippodrome of Beirut from May 24th to 28th, from 4 to 10 PM.

Our aim is to let the voice of fair trade be heard and encourage people to support and join this dynamic by choosing to put the interest of our small producers above all.

This event is supported by the French Embassy in Lebanon.