In 2004 the members of the pop group Coldplay, who support Fairtrade, were approached by Oxfam to go to Haiti to learn about its state of affairs. It was here that band- leader Chris Martin learnt about the importing and exporting of goods around the world and realised what a huge crisis it is. He said: “we’ve now seen, firsthand, the problems caused by America dumping rice on Mexico, or Haiti not being allowed to export its agricultural products.”
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| Colin Firth was in Brussels to urge European Commissioner, Peter Mandeleson, to deliver a trade deal to help the world’s developing nations |
It was after this trip that Chris Martin became one of the leading celebrity campaigners for Fairtrade.
He has since set off, with Oxfam, on a five-day mission to Ghana in order to see how trade injustice affects poor farmers. The reality of what Martin saw was shocking. He said: “We are making money out of these people and they can’t afford to send their kids to school. We’ve got to keep banging on about Fairtrade. If people knew what these trade laws created they would be shocked.”
He now fronts the Make Trade Fair campaign, launched by Oxfam in 2002, which seeks to challenge the trading terms imposed on the farmers. What began as a simple campaign has escalated in to a global crusade; the impact is astonishing. Since Make Trade Fair began, sales of Fairtrade goods have risen by 26 per cent and more than 50 countries are getting involved.
As part of the campaign, a petition called The Big Noise, has been devised to voice the millions of people around the world who are calling for a decision to make trade fair. Coldplay allowed volunteer campaigners to travel alongside them during their European tour this autumn to advocate the petition; amazingly, it secured more than 30,000 signatures. While touring in each individual country, Martin ensured Make Trade Fair banners adorned the concert arena and even had the logo on his treasured piano.
are trying to express their fervour for Fairtrade products and urge the public to buy them'' |
On the 8th December 2005, Colin Firth was in Brussels to urge European Commissioner, Peter Mandeleson, to deliver a trade deal to help the world’s developing nations. Firth presented The Big Noise petition to him, calling for Fairtrade rules to be agreed at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks in Honk Kong. Ever the reluctant movie star he said: “people in my position tend to get invited to these sorts of things. There are millions of people who are infinitely more qualified and able to deal with these issues than I- if you want to know who they are, there are about 10 million of them with their names on the petition and the numbers are still rising.” He continued to say, with affirmation, that: “I’m here as a name, a European, and a consumer. These are the voices I give to Mr Mandeleson to take to Hong Kong.”
In 2004 some of the biggest stars to come out of British pop music got together for Make Trade Fair live gig. I was there to see it, although I admit, at the time I was somewhat ignorant to the cause. The line-up was enough to make any pop fan go weak at the knees; Radiohead; The Thrills; Coldplay; REM- the list could go on. Not only were there some surprise collaborations but public awareness was also amplified as a result.
If this was not enough, 2006 has certainly exceeded everyone’s expectations. To coincide with Fairtrade Fortnight ( 6-19th March), 20 famous faces, who are impassioned by Fairtrade, volunteered to literally ‘be dumped on’ by surplus commodities- only to then have their photograph taken- in an attempt to portray how these poor farmer’s are being ‘dumped on’ everyday by rich countries.
These celebrities, along with many others, including Charlie Dimmock who has a pair of mangoes down her vest (no surprise there then!), are trying to express their fervour for Fairtrade products and urge the public to buy them. They appeal to people to ‘make Fairtrade your habit’ instead of purchasing the occasional product- it is simple; people can shop with a clear conscience.
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