Province of Barcelona | Global Citizenship Education at the programme of the World Fair Trade Day

Throughout May, more than 40 local governments celebrated the World Fair Trade Day in the Province of Barcelona, with DIBA’s support.

LaCoordi, a platform of NGOs championing fair trade and ethical finances, led «I Choose», a Global Citizenship Education campaign that calls for local governments and NGOs to promote fair trade as a transformative and alternative means to face injustice and inequality in international trade in global North/South relations. The campaign promotes critical consumption and emphasises the power of consumers to transform the unfair rules of international trade and reduce global inequalities.

“I Choose” celebrates this year its 24th edition and as much as 40 municipalities in the province of Barcelona have scheduled activities in libraries and municipal markets to promote alternative options towards a transformative economic model. Over 100 libraries have participated in reading and storytelling corners and have disseminated resources through their webpages. Tasting activities of fair-trade products such as coffee or chocolate have also been organised in markets and squares. The campaign’s programming has sought to reach all ages: storytelling for children, hip-hop for young people, and workshops for adults.

With DIBA’s support, LaCoordi has also engaged with local governments in the Fair Trade Towns initiative, a global campaign bringing together more than 2,200 municipalities in the world that are now “fair trade towns”. This recognition makes it possible to maintain and reinforce local commitment to global justice. In these municipalities, the city council, social and local business sectors, schools and citizens are working together to promote fair trade in their city.

Manresa is the first city in the province of Barcelona labeled as a “fair trade town”. The cities of Terrassa and Sant Boi de Llobregat are working to be next.