Municipalities in Gießen Adopting Fairtrade Standards

In a significant step towards global justice, the district of Gießen, Germany, has been officially certified as a "Fair Trade District" by "Fair Trade Germany" since January. The district, renowned for its university town, has carried the Fair Trade seal since 2011.

The certification was marked by the 7th networking meeting of Hessian Fair Trade towns and districts, held in the Gießen town hall with around 60 participants. District Administrator Anita Schneider highlighted the global significance of Fair Trade for fair wages and economic prosperity in the global South.

The workshops held during the event focused on deepening knowledge in areas such as fair public procurement, education work, sustainable urban planning, and strengthening steering groups. Representatives from various municipalities and districts shared successful practical examples of Fair Trade initiatives.

One such example was the Fair Trade city rally in Frankfurt am Main and the Clemens-Brentano-Europaschule's path to becoming a Fair Trade School. The district of Gießen itself took responsibility for the global South within its sustainability strategy, implementing concrete projects in Mubende, Uganda.

However, the local initiative groups in Gießen, who play an essential role in fair trade implementation, remain unnamed in the search results, and there is no specific information on concrete projects they have carried out for fair trade in Mubende, Uganda.

Mayor Frank-Tilo Becher praised the civil society engagement in Gießen, describing the local steering group Fair Trade Town Gießen as an "indispensable engine" of this engagement. Simone Zorn from Fair Trade Germany presented current developments in the Fair Trade movement.

The exchange on the Fair Trade Towns campaign was the focus of the morning. The global "Fairtrade-Towns" campaign started in 2000 in the UK and has since expanded to over 2200 campaigns in 26 countries worldwide. In Germany alone, there are over 914 certified cities and municipalities, including about 60 districts, participating in the "Fairtrade-Towns" campaign.

The event concluded with a "Market of Opportunities", where numerous initiatives and projects presented their work. Participants expressed gratitude for the inspiring impulses, conversations, and exchange of experiences with like-minded individuals. The city and district of Gießen also thanked all volunteers for their commitment to more global justice.

Schneider emphasized that Fair Trade stands for fair wages, just working conditions, and the empowerment of women worldwide. It is essential to note that women in the global South often work under precarious conditions in agriculture, textile factories, or the informal sector, yet make significant contributions to their families and communities.

The certification of Gießen as a Fair Trade District is a testament to the district's commitment to fair trade and global justice. The event served as a platform for exchange, learning, and inspiration, paving the way for further progress in the Fair Trade movement.