Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg Celebrates 30th Anniversary

Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year; to mark the occasion, the local non-profit organisation held a press conference on Tuesday 22 March 2022.

In addition to reflecting on the last three decades and presenting the various awareness-raising actions planned as part of its 30th anniversary, Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg used this occasion to unveil a giant fresco depicting a Fairtrade coffee producer, created by David Soner. Visible at 88 Avenue Charlotte in Differdange, this painting is part of the "Fairtrade Wall" initiative which will extend throughout the year.

"Differdange is not a trivial place; it is the first municipality in the country to have been certified Fairtrade Gemeng [Fairtrade municipality] in 2011. And it is also the one that opens the series of Fairtrade Walls", explained Geneviève Krol, Director of Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg. "Over the coming months, other municipalities will pay tribute to fair trade by imagining and exhibiting frescoes on their walls".

This event also saw the lighting of the "Fairtrade Flame", installed on a wooden sculpture and specially designed for this anniversary. Symbolically, the latter will go on tour across the Grand Duchy in the coming weeks. "Companies, municipalities, schools, associations or even commercial partners will welcome it and organise awareness-raising actions around Fairtrade products and fair trade during its visit", continued Ms Krol.

Fairtrade partners, including Luxembourg craftspeople, among others, also plan to make a nod to this milestone by creating specific packaging for their Fairtrade labelled products. Other projects including the publication of a children's story and thematic exhibitions are also in the pipeline, as well as the Fairtrade weeks which will take place this year from 1 to 5 May.

Since its creation in 1992 by Jean-Louis Zeien, Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg has been raising public awareness of fair trade through various communication actions and events. "When we started, 30 years ago, people were sceptical, some did not want to pay more, others made racist remarks towards producers in the South...", noted Ms Krol. "But over time and in collaboration with our partners, the Fairtrade products initially available in the Boutiques du Monde have gradually taken over the shelves of food stores, from small grocery stores to supermarkets in Luxembourg. This opening up of traditional trade to fairer trade has benefited producers and workers in more than 72 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean".

Today, Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg counts 2,950 Fairtrade labelled product references on the Luxembourg market. However, whilst the work of the non-profit is bearing fruit, tragic realities persist. "For the first time this year, child labour in supply chains has increased again due to COVID-19. Ditto for people living in conditions of slavery. These facts should wake us up!", warned Jean-Louis Zeien, Founder and President of Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg.