FanFest in Romania: Promotion of Fair Trade

What is the Fanfest? “The activities prepared for the participants will span three thematic avenues - Say it Green, FanFest Art and FanFun. Designed as a meeting for environmental activists from all around the country, FanFest 2007 calls on you to become active - an activist and begin to create and act to protect nature. ", says the official site of FanFest (more at: http://www.fanfest.ro/). This year's event took place in Rosia Montana, Romania, from August 24-26, 2007.

The Hungarian NGO Protect The Future was invited officially by the organisers to participate at this event with its mobile café. The aim was to introduce fair trade and to share the Hungarian experience of promotion. An information stand, a fair trade product exhibition and a fair trade related photo exhibition invited the FanFest’s participants to come closer. Volunteers translated the leaflet of Frequently Asked Questions into Romanian language to help better understand the topic. It was ensured that NGOs having interest in fair trade could get information not only about the topic, but also on the ways how they can start their activity.

Gyorgyi Ujszaszi who represented Protect the Future, gave an interview for a local radio station and wrote a "fair article" in a civil movement newspaper. As a result of these activities, around 10 organisations in Romania are ready to start working in the field of fair trade. On Saturday afternoon Gyorgyi Ujszaszi had a lecture which was attended by 30 participants who heard facts about fair trade, its history, principles and international organisations. The documentary film "Against the current" was shown. It talks about the start of the Hungarian fair trade movement. (The film is available with English subtitles upon request at Protect the Future).

The FanFest presence of the Hungarian fair café turned out to be very successful.

Information provided by Gyorgyi Ujszaszi, Protect the Future. For more information please contact her at gyorgyi@vedegylet.hu