Is Berlin becoming the city of fair trade? Society and politics hold a dialogue at Bazaar Berlin

mam_244229_399874_PressPhotosThumbPortrait-deFair trade is among the major topics at Bazaar Berlin. Not only is it the focus of a specially organised section, the Fair Trade Market, it will also be receiving the attention of the schools programme and two panel discussions.

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Fair trade and the “Fairtrade Town“ campaign represent ways towards contributing to a sustainable future and taking on global responsibility. That is why on Thursday, 19 November 2015 the slogan of the event in the Palais am Funkturm is ’Fair districts – fair Berlin? Where does the German capital stand on its way to becoming the city of fair trade?’ From 5 p.m. onwards experts representing society, politics, the church and public authorities will be searching for answers to this question.

Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf and Mitte in Berlin are districts already boasting the label of a “Fairtrade Town“. Other parts of the city will follow soon. In that context, discussions held at tables on the subjects of education, the economy and local administration will be debating how to further promote the campaign in the city and boost fair trade. Stefan Evers, a CDU member of the Berlin House of Representatives, will be among the first to present the results of these meetings and give a political statement.

How will a seal of approval benefit fair textiles?

On Wednesday, 18 November 2015, starting at 5 p.m. in the Palais am Funkturm there will be a discussion on a ’seal of approval for fair textiles’. The possible introduction of a seal of approval for textiles is currently a hot topic. Ever since the Rana Plaza textile factory collapsed in 2013 many of the main players have been thinking about how to avoid such disasters in the future. Companies producing cheap textiles are under scrutiny and the low wages paid to textile factory workers have become the focus of attention.

One option that is being discussed and developed is a seal of approval for textiles. The Sustainable Textile Alliance initiated by the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the seal proposed by Fairtrade International, and the initiatives launched by other proponents of seals and brand names in order to strengthen the market for fair textiles are just some examples of the efforts that have taken place.

Among those taking part in the following panel discussion in the Palais am Funkturm will be Michael Marwede, Servicestelle Kommunen in der Einen Welt, Martin Schüller, Fairtrade Deutschland, Rolf Heimann, chairman of Hess Natur Stiftung, and a representative of the textile industry.