FA!R2010 starts in the Messe Westfalenhallen Dortmund

After its successful start in 2008, the FA!R, trade fair and specialist conference will open its doors once again in Dortmund from 23rd to 25th September 2010, this time in the Messe Westfalenhallen Dortmund. „We are very happy that we can add another attractive specialist trade fair to our trade fair programme with FA!R2010, which at the same time is of great social relevance. It is our aim as a host together with the sponsors and the project partners, to build FA!R up into a nationwide leading trade fair in this area“, says Stefan Baumann, manager of the Messe Westfalenhallen Dortmund GmbH. FA!R2010 will be competently supported by an ideal sponsor, the One World Network NRW (Eine Welt Netz NRW e. V.), the state of NRW, the town of Dortmund, the retail association of Westphalia Münsterland as well as further partners and promoters.

One of the promoters for the trade fair is the Ministry for generations, families, women and integration for the state of NRW: „Not only for the exhibitors and visitors, rather also for the whole state of North Rhine Westphalia, the FA!R 2010 will bring fair trade to the centre of society in a trend setting way, confirms minister Armin Laschet.

 FA!R2010 is a component of the three year overall project of the One World Network NRW „Buy FA!R“ (FA!R KAUFEN) started in autumn 2009 with the aim of embedding trade fair products more strongly into the market: „Fortunately, fair trade is growing on the market. We want to support this with FA!R2010. Because it means a better quality of life for the producers and their families in Southern Countries“, says project leader Jürgen Sokoll.

FA!R2010 should illustrate the whole product range of fair trade and stimulate and address all of the visitor’s senses with numerous event areas such as fashion shows, wine and chocolate seminars, cooking demonstrations and cosmetics courses. The focus of FA!R2010 will be the area of textiles & accessories. Furthermore, in the scope of the trade fair there will be a specialist conference about current developments in fair trade with discussions and workshops.

At the trade fair, manufacturers, importers, traders and licensees from Germany and abroad will present their products and services. Visitor target groups for the trade fair and specialist conference are everyone who is interested in fair trade products and would like to find out about future trends in Fair Trade; this relates to experts such as purchasers for the specialized trade and retail, gastronomy and institutions just as much as end users.

Dortmund has already achieved several „medals“ in matters of fair trade. In 2003 and 2005, the Ruhr metropolis was elected as the „capital of fair trade“. And recently Dortmund was declared the first fair trade town in the Ruhr region. Therefore, Dortmund is getting in line with metropolises such as London, Rome, Brussels and San Francisco in the squad of over 700 fair trade towns worldwide.

„As a fair trade town we are happy and proud that we have succeeded with FA!R in getting a trade fair to come to Dortmund that exceeded all expectations with its opening event in 2008. Now we need to stabilize this success and establish the trade fair on the market“, says Ullrich Sierau, designated Lord Mayor of Dortmund.

Sales of fair trade products are booming

Fair trade is flourishing. Fair consumption in 2008 recorded around €213 million of sales and therefore 50% more than the previous year. Since 2004 the sales of fair trade goods has quadrupled.  World hunger, food scandals and climate change seem to have made people think again. The number of consumption aware consumers is growing constantly. Whether you want to describe them as „LOHAS “, „Neo-Greens“ or  „new ecos“– their consumption striving for more sustainability and health has brought the theme out of the economic niche. Large discounters have by now understood that they can make money with fair trade products and are also offering more and more products from fair trade.

Partners such as the retail association will contribute to bringing the theme more into the public eye: „The retail association Westphalia Münsterland will support the trade fair and the agents and organisations involved to the best of their ability, in order to position fair trade as a thoroughly interesting and competitive offer in the companies and therefore on the market“, says manager Dr. Wilm Schulte.

Fair trade – that is more than just the classic products coffee, tea, cocoa or bananas. Indeed more than ever before they are amongst the top sellers, however the demand for products such as fruit juice, wine, roses and textiles has increased in the last few years. 47 million fair trade roses were brought onto the German market in 2008 and 185 tonnes of fair trade cotton were processed into textiles. FA!R2010 has the central task of producing more publicity for until now less known fair trade products. Therefore, the theme of textiles & accessories for 2010 will take on great significance at the trade fair and specialist conference.

Fair trade makes an important contribution to the social and environmentally compatible design of globalisation. And the fair trade seal guarantees that producers and peasants in Africa, Asia and Latin America are supported and that their living conditions are improved. FA!R2010 should also ensure that the seal is borne further in the world and awareness for sustainable consumption is promoted.

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^{FA!R2010 will take place from 23rd to 25th September in the Messe Westfalenhallen Dortmund.}

^{The host of FA!R2010 is Messe Westfalenhallen Dortmund GmbH and the ideal responsible body is the One World Network NRW association (Eine Welt Netz NRW). Promoters are the Ministry for generations, family, women and integration and the Ministry for economics, medium sized businesses and energy for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, InWEnt – Internationale Weiterbildung und Entwicklung gGmbH (international further training and development) funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development and Ziel2.NRW. Partners of FA!R2010 are the retail association of Westphalia Münsterland and the town of Dortmund.}

^{FA!R2010 will be open on the Thursday from 10.00 to 18.00, exclusively for specialist visitors. On the Friday from 10.00 to 18.00 and on the Saturday from 10.00 to 17.00 end users can also visit the trade fair as well as experts.}

^{Entrance is €6 for adults and €4 for children and young people over 12 years. Entrance is free for children under 12 years.}

^{Travel in Dortmund with the underground lines U45 and U46 to the stop  „Westfalenhallen“.}

^{You can find further information at www.fair2010.de.}

Media information 107 / 2009 - 23.10.2009
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