Seminar Focuses on the end of the Slave Trade and the dawn of Fairtrade

A seminar is being held in the Highlands next week which marks the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the TransAltlantic slave trade and focuses on the dawn of Fairtrade, which guarantees a better deal for Third World producers.

It is being held on Tuesday 4 March at The Highland Council Chamber, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness, to coincide with Fairtrade Fortnight.

Councillor Jean Urquhart, Vice Convener of The Highland Council, will open the seminar.  She said: “The Council has recently reaffirmed its commitment to Fairtrade and is looking to secure Fairtrade status for The Highland Council area. This event during the Fairtrade Fortnight is an excellent opportunity to raise awareness of what can be done to encourage fair prices for goods produced in developing countries.”

The Council has also given its strong support to the recent announcement that the campaign to make Scotland one of the world's first Fairtrade nations has been given backing from the Scottish Government.

She added: “This commitment by the Scottish Government is excellent news and we look forward to working together to see Scotland becoming a fairtrade nation.”

David Alston, curator of Cromarty Court House, will speak about “the Highlands and the Slave Trade” while Scots novelist James Robertson will give a presentation on “Joseph Knight - the Story of a slave in Scotland”.

The second part of the seminar will look at how trade can be made fair in the 21st century and what Scotland can contribute with a presentation by Eilidh Whiteford of Oxfam.

Two delegates from the Kuapa Kokoo co-operative in Ghana will tell the seminar about the production of their co-operative’s own brand of Fairtrade chocolate.

The seminar is being organised by the Highland One World Group; Workers’ Educational Assocation Scotland, Cromarty Courthouse Museum and The Highland Council.

Funding has also come from the National Lottery and the Heritage Lottery Fund as well as The Highland Council.


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27 Feb 2008