 Washington Fair Trade Coalition Working on behalf of people and the planet for a fair global trading system |
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News & Events >> Past Events | ||||
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Past Events
WFTC member meeting, Apr 24, 2008
In April, the Washington Fair Trade Coalition announced the visit of Andy Gussert, director of Citizens Trade Campaign (CTC) to our annual combined board & member meeting on April 24th from 1-3pm, at the Seattle Labor Temple, Hall 8. Andy's talk was titled: "The State of Play in Trade Today" and included important updates on what's going on nationally, including a review of current trade-related legislation, the presidential candidates' positions on trade policy, the status of the Columbia and other FTAs, and more. Seattle Green Festival, Apr 12-13, 2008The Washington Fair Trade Coalition was a proud participant in the Seattle Green Festival. The WFTC believes that only reorienting our actions and practices with "green" values will help secure a sustainable and just global economic system. Among other activities, WFTC tabled at this event, and found ready and enthusiastic support for fair trade principles among the many festival participants. Witness for Peace Tour: "The Roots of Migration: Free Trade, Debt, and Survival in Nicaragua", Apr 7 & 10, 2008 (Seattle & Redmond) The second most impoverished country in the Western Hemisphere, Nicaragua has struggled for years under the burden of internal and external debt. This event provided a deeper look into the effects of free trade, debt and immigration on the Nicaraguan people. Witness for Peace Northwest hosted a discussion with Yamileth Perez, a remarkable Nicaraguan community leader who lives and works in a community near the Managua city dump. Yamileth shared the first-hand impact of free trade and debt and the resulting increase of migration and poverty on the people of Nicaragua.
A Nastier NAFTA: The Security and Prosperity Partnership of N. America,
Apr 3, 2008
This event from the Community Alliance for Global Justice brought three critical policy and advocacy analysts to Seattle to unravel some of the myths and legitimate concerns about the unknown and undemocratic Security & Prosperity Partnership, an extension of the North American Free Trade Agreement that the leaders of Canada, US and Mexico have been negotiating for the past 2 years under the radar of elected officials and the general public. NAFTA’s inception in 1994 has ignited various human security, environmental, and immigration issues, leading us to question: Why continue forcing failed economic integration, when lives, labor, and our environment continue to be at stake? WTO Protest Commemoration - Cuz the Power of the People Don't Stop!, Dec 1, 2007 Commemorating the 8th Anniversary of the 1999 WTO Protests With the imminent release of the major motion picture, "Battle in Seattle", and the City of Seattle's $1 million settlement with WTO protesters, being distributed Dec 2007, we gathered at the Seattle Labor Temple on Dec 1, 2007 to reflect on the legacy of the WTO protests, to inspire the telling of our own stories, and to learn how the work for local and global justice continues in our region today.
The event included presentation by:
David Korten,
Intl Forum on Globalization, author of "When Corporations Rule the
World" and Garry Owens,
Northwest LELO - Legacy of Equality, Leadership and Organizing.
In addition, there was great food, music, and fun! Thanks to
Heather Day and the Community Alliance for Global Justice for doing such
a great job of organizing this event!
Strengthening Local Economies Everywhere Dinner & Fair, July
21, 2007
The Community Alliance for Global Justice (CAGJ) sponsored this dinner and fair as an opportunity to gather and reflect on alternatives to the corporate agribusiness model which are healthier for our environment, our communities and ourselves. We enjoyed a delicious dinner made entirely from foods produced by Pacific Northwest farmers, ranchers and fisher folk using sustainable and just practices. To support small producers in other countries, the meal incorporated Fair Trade foods, including rice, bananas, chocolate, sugar, coffee, and tea. Dinner was be prepared by local chefs and Seattle Culinary Academy students. WA state wines and beer was also served. Almost 300 people filled the Polish Home dinning room to share ideas
and good food. The program included inspiring words from Rosalinda
Guillen, an organizer with Community to Community in Whatcom County.
Many left energized to work for global justice and locally-based
community both here in the US and abroad.
IMMIGRATION & TRADE TEACH-IN - June 20th, 2007
Seattle CISPES hosted, in collaboration with CASA Latina and the Washington Fair Trade Coalition, an Immigration and Trade Teach-In. This distinctive event examined the root causes of immigration from Latin America and the effects that U.S. trade and immigration policies have on families. Recent immigrants shared their own stories, while leaders of local organizations spoke out about current immigration and trade legislation. Additionally, CISPES activists shared from their recent experiences in El Salvador, where they visited the families of immigrants who have settled in Seattle. Over 70 people joined us for a night of education and personal stories, and left with ideas for concrete action to take in solidarity with immigrants and the families in Latin America that depend upon them. The event was recorded by KBCS, 91.3FM, and the station ran a news article in their One World Report on 6/21/07. Fast Track Workshop with Thea Lee - Mar 21, 2007 The WFTC hosted Thea Lee, of AFL-CIO at a well-attended and high energy "End Fast Track" workshop on March 21,2007. The workshop also included thoughtful commentary by Carlos Marentes of Comite Pro Amnistia General y Justicia Social, Jon Brier of ILWU, and Stan Sorscher of SPEEA. Workshop attendees left with a heightened commitment to fighting Fast Track and unfair trade policy. Thea was recently featured on the Lehrer New Hour, and is otherwise making quite an impact on how trade policy is discussed nationally. Click here for the Newshour video clip with Thea. As a leading global retailer/producer, WalMart is causing profound impacts on workers and the environment not just in the US but around the world. Join us for this special opportunity to talk with WalMart workers from Columbia, India, and the US who all have powerful stories to share. Learn about the human and environmental costs of the WalMart globalized economic model, and what you can do about it.
Sponsors include: UW Student Labor Action Project, Coalition for Global Concern and the Associated Students of Seattle University, Washington Fair Trade Coalition, UFCW Local 21, the Blue Green Alliance, and Seattle NOW. This tour brought to Washington by the International Labor Rights Fund.
The week was a great success, with active and thoughtful protests, teach-ins, and other events occurring each day of the negotiations. The largest event was a high-energy labor rally led by the AFL-CIO and KCTU (Korean trade union), which was attended by around 1,000 people. Our voices were heard both here in the US, but perhaps more importantly in Korea. To acess archived event materials, go to our Korea Center
The week was a great success, with active and thoughtful protests,
teach-ins, and other events occurring each day of the negotiations. The
largest event was a high-energy labor rally and sit-in on November 30th,
1999. Although press reports focused on a very, very small
contingent of activists that broke windows, etc., the overwhelming
majority of protestors were peaceful and non-violent.
As a result of "outside" pressure and an "inside" rebellion by WTO
members from developing countries, the WTO Ministerial was terminated
without any agreements being reached.
In the words of Seattle's own Jim Page, from his song
Didn't We: "don't let 'em tell you that it can't be done (Full lyrics to Didn't We) |
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