Urban areas adopting Fairtrade practices in Gießen

In the heart of Germany, the district of Giessen recently hosted a significant gathering, the 7th networking meeting of Hessian Fair Trade municipalities and districts, held in the grand Giessen town hall. This event, which brought together around 60 participants from all over Hesse, was an opportunity to celebrate and discuss the district's commitment to Fair Trade.

Mayor Frank-Tilo Becher and District Administrator Anita Schneider, in their opening greetings, praised the civic engagement that underpins Giessen's Fair Trade initiatives. The city, one of the over 914 certified cities and municipalities in Germany, received its Fair Trade seal in 2011, and the district followed suit, becoming an official "Fair Trade District" in a later year.

Simone Zorn from Fair Trade Germany presented current developments, emphasising the global significance of Fair Trade for fair wages and economic survival in the global South. She highlighted that Fair Trade empowers women worldwide, particularly those working under precarious conditions in agriculture, textile factories, or the informal sector.

The city and district of Giessen have been actively implementing concrete projects, such as those in Mubende, Uganda, as part of their sustainability strategy. These initiatives, showcased during the "Market of Possibilities," included fair public procurement, education work, sustainable urban planning, and the strengthening of steering groups.

Workshops during the networking meeting covered these topics and more, providing a platform for participants to share successful practical examples of Fair Trade initiatives. The event also featured a Fair Trade School, Clemens-Brentano-Europaschule, from Hesse, and a reminder of Frankfurt am Main's Fair Trade City Rally.

The participants expressed gratitude for the inspiring impulses, conversations, and exchange of experiences with like-minded individuals. The city and district of Giessen took the opportunity to thank all volunteers for their commitment to global justice, although the name of the head of the local steering group Fair Trade Town Giessen, praised by Mayor Frank-Tilo Becher as the indispensable driving force behind these efforts, was not explicitly given in the available search results.

Becher emphasised that the Fair Trade certification signifies broad civic engagement and lived responsibility. He stated that the district's commitment to Fair Trade thrives on diverse engagement in local governments, world shops, schools, and initiative groups. The networking meeting demonstrated that Fair Trade is not just a label but a movement that is alive and well in Giessen.

The "Fairtrade-Towns" global campaign, which started in 2000 in the UK and now has over 2200 campaigns in 26 countries worldwide, is a testament to the global impact of local initiatives. Giessen continues to be a shining example of this movement, striving for a fairer, more sustainable world, one project at a time.