WHY PUDUCHERRY - AUROVILLE?

Between Puducherry and Auroville there are 8 Fair Trade Certified Units.

These organizations are working with the two movements World Fair Trade Organisation and Fairtrade International, to MAKE TRADE FAIR in all aspects and make Puducherry and Auroville the First Fair Trade Twin Towns in the world.

MAROMA

AMBALA HAMMOCKS

AUROMIRA EXPORTS

IMAGINATION

MERVILLE

UPASANA

MANDALA APPARELS

5 GOALS SET

FOR

1. As a Fair trade town, Puducherry and Auroville would work towards making trade fair. People would come together to support millions of farmers, artisans and workers through all forms of trade.

2. Businesses to promote Fair Trade principles and incorporate social responsibility in their day to day functions.

3. All the schools and universities in Puducherry and Auroville to teach students how our food and trade system works and explain the need for ethical supply chains. For young people to understand that however insurmountable a problem might seem, they can be change makers and encourage them to incorporate fair trade values in their future professions.

4. For all neighbouring grocery stores, cafes, restaurants, hotels etc to support the fair trade movement by including an aspect of fair trade in their existing trade systems. For workplaces to serve Fair trade tea and restaurants to include a few fair trade ingredients in their trade.

5. Promoting policies that promote fair trade practices in Puducherry and Auroville.

LAUNCH OF THE FAIR TRADE MOVEMENT - The Fair Trade Twin Towns movement in Puducherry and Auroville launched in November when Pushpanath Krishnamurthy, global campaigner walked for 450 kms alongside COP21 in Paris.

- More than 300 people gathered in pouring rain to support him and about 70 people including fair trade workers walked for 16 kms with Pushpanath from Puducherry to Auroville on the first day of the walk.

450 KMS for FAIR TRADE

DURING THE WALK - Over the 20 days of the walk, Push was joined by many school and

university students.

- Along the way he visited 4 Fair Trade producer organizations, including producers of Fair Trade tea and cotton.

- He spoke to them to raise awareness about the impact of Climate Change, the need for Fair Trade and FTTT.

WALK ENDED WITH ANOTHER TOWN LAUNCH

- On December 10, while the climate leaders met in Paris, the FTTT team reached Ooty to walk the last stretch with Push.

- More than 300 people were a part of the ceremony organized by NAWA where they declared that Kotagiri will join the towns movement and work towards becoming a Fair Trade Town.

CLOSING CEREMONY - FAIR TRADE CAFE

- Closing Ceremony of the walk on Terra Madre, Slow Food Day included a meal cooked with Fair Trade Honey.

- Over Fair Trade Tea the team spoke about the movement.

- There was a organic Fair Trade music circle organized with the drums they store Fair Trade honey in.

- Later that day the FTTT team visited the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation to meet the Fair Trade Tea plantation workers and discussed the benefits of Fair Trade premium and more sales on Fair Trade terms with the workers.

CELEBRITY SUPPORT FOR FTTT

STEERING COMMITTEE FORMATION - JANUARY

- The team met in Auroville to discuss the structure of the Steering committee.

- The structure was formed to distribute responsibility and ensure fulfillment of the 5 goals.

- A group called Friends of Fair Trade was also set up to advice and guide the committee.

NATIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE

Abhishek Jani CEO, Fairtrade India

Anjali Schiavina Founder and CEO, Mandala Apparels

Pushpanath Krishnamurthy Global Campaigner

Pradeep Krishnappa Vice President, FFI

Waiting to fill one more place in the national steering committee.

TOWNS STEERING COMMITTEE

Victor Raj Director, HOPE

Sunaina Mandeen Co-Founder, People for Pondicherry Heritage and PondyCAN

Anjali Schiavina Founder and CEO, Mandala Apparels

Uma Prajapati Founder, Upasana

Waiting to fill three more places in the town’s committee. The towns committee includes 4 people from Puducherry and 3 from Auroville.

CRAFT BAZAAR (04.02.2016 – 07.02.2016)

- Fair Trade Twin Towns (FTTT) had a stall at the Craft Bazaar organized by the Heritage festival. The event helped raise awareness about FTTT to more than 600 people in the three days. The ‘STORY BEHIND THE LABEL’ stall was setup.

- Separate communication material for FTTT was developed and

distributed in this event and the following events.

AUROVILLE MARATHON MARKET (14.02.2016)

FTTT had a stall at the Auroville Marathon Market. The stall managed to raise awareness about Fair Trade Twin Towns. Many enquired about Fair trade and expressed interest in purchasing fair trade certified products.

SCHOOL VISIT, THE STUDY (18.02.2016)

Director of WFTO Asia, Christine Gent along with Pushpanath, Anjali and Devina met the Principal of the school The Study and spoke to 200 students from class 9 and 11 about Fair Trade Twin Towns and the fair trade schools program. Many of them expressed interest in volunteering for FTTT and registered as volunteers.

TALK AT PONDICHERRY UNIVERSITY - Christine, Pushpanath, Anjali and Devina presented the concept of FTTT to the International Business, Management students at Pondicherry University.

- A group of 80 students and 4 teachers were present for the presentation.

- Topic: Ethical trade practices and international business. They also spoke about the international market for Fair Trade and the need to create a domestic market for fair trade products in India.

- 63 volunteers signed up.

WATER SUSTAINABILITY AND FAIR TRADE MARKET (19.02.2016 – 21.02.2016)

DIGITAL GREEN CONFERENCE We spoke at the Digital Green conference where more than 500 people from over 150 NGOs were present.

AUROVILLE RADIO

FASHION REVOLUTION – SHOW YOUR LABEL FTTT supported Fairtrade India’s campaign for Fashion

Revolution.

THANK YOU!