70 Partners Participate in Awareness-Raising Fairtrade Weeks

Local non-profit organisation Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg announced that nearly 100 actions were organised by around 70 partners throughout Luxembourg during the Fairtrade weeks.

Under the slogan "Fair is the new trade" and with a brand new design, the 2022 edition of this national fair trade awareness campaign, which is currently taking place until 15 May 2022, aims to bring together different Luxembourg players in distribution, catering, including in schools, municipalities, companies, individuals and many others around a common objective: to strengthen citizen awareness in favor of a mode of consumption that is fair, responsible and respectful of human rights and the environment.

On the occasion of the International Fair Trade Day on Saturday 14 May 2022, the NGO Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg highlights some of the key actions of these Fairtrade Weeks and presents the four faces of the campaign.

Farmers, the future is fair

The NGO Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg chose four producers and members of Fairtrade cooperatives to illustrate its awareness campaign.

"The fight for a fair future is a message that we want to spread to as many people as possible", emphasised Geneviève Krol, director of the NGO Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg.

Caroline is a member of the Kapkiyai coffee cooperative, located in the green hills of western Kenya, about 70 km east of Lake Victoria. Caroline is active in the project “Women in Coffee” which is aimed exclusively at female coffee producers from this Fairtrade cooperative. Here, women like Caroline have the opportunity to grow their own coffee, participate in yield-increasing training and earn their own income.

Ponisih is a coconut sugar producer and a member of the Koperasi Simpan Pinjam Karya Manunggal Sejahtera cooperative which was the first Fairtrade certified coconut sugar producer organisation in Indonesia. The cooperative is located in the mountainous area in the village of Hargorojo.

Roberto is a producer of Fairtrade organic bananas and a member of the APBOSMAM cooperative located in the Chira Valley in Peru.

Aminata is a 30 years old cocoa producer from Côte d'Ivoire.

New for the 2022 edition

Nearly 70 partners participated in Fairtrade Weeks, with many being long-time partners, including Fairtrade Laf and Fairtrade School certifications (School Internationale Anne Beffort (EIMAB) in Mersch and the Lycée Privé Émile Metz in Luxembourg), restaurateurs using fairtrade products, tastings of Fairtrade products, highlighting of Fairtrade products on the shelves of small and large retailers, promotional actions on Fairtrade certified products and artistic exhibitions or various awareness workshops related to the theme. A Fairtrade Rally in Bettembourg, Fairtrade Tea and Chocolate tasting evenings and Discovery of Know-How organised by Friendship Luxembourg, thematic workshops around chocolate in Bonnevoie and on the origin of our clothes in Munsbach, a treasure hunt in Käerjeng and many more events were organised.

In addition, the first Fairtrade Escape Game “Fast Fashion Leaks” is on the way within the cooperative bank Raiffeisen in Leudelange. Developed as part of the campaign “Rethink Your Clothes”, this awareness and team building tool aims to make participants aware of the issues and consequences of the Fast Fashion industry.

The Panelux company has developed a first pastry made with cocoa and Fairtrade sugar. Available in all Fischer stores. In addition, two new products – a “Red Velvet” cold infusion based on Fairtrade Rooibos, citrus fruits and raspberries and a chocolate bar with specific packaging for the 30th anniversary of Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg – were launched by the Ateliers of the Tercentenary.

A giant Fairtrade mural planned in Esch-sur-Alzette in June

Following the unveiling of a giant fresco representing Deciderio Lozano Rios, a Fairtrade coffee producer in Differdange on 22 March 2022 as part of the launch of the NGO's 30th anniversary, the municipality of Esch-sur-Alzette in turn announced the creation of a giant mural, which should be unveiled in June. This second "Fairtrade Wall" in Luxembourg, which will be created by the artist Daniel McLoyd, is part of the Fairtrade Gemeng municipalities' desire to raise awareness among a wide public and to disseminate fair trade in all spheres of daily life.

The Fairtrade Flame continues its grand tour of the Luxemburg

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg, the Fairtrade Flame continued its grand tour of Luxembourg to meet the various partners committed to fair trade and to promote a fair future. A busy programme for the Fairtrade Flame until the end of this year. On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Boulangerie et Pâtisserie Jos&Jean-Marie, the Fairtrade Flame paused in Mertzig in the north of Luxembourg, in order to promote the Fairtrade croissant, the first Fairtrade pastry to be available on the Luxembourg market.

More information on the Fairtrade Weeks and various actions is available online via www.semainesfairtrade.lu.