The World Fair Trade Day at Sasha

Two events were organised by Sasha under the aegis of Fair Trade Forum-India (Eastern region) -

One: As a run up to World Fair Trade Day on 10th of May-'Celebrating Recycle' - A contest on making products, art objects from recycled products, scraps and wastes. The contest was organised at four places - two schools (one city based and one village based); a Fashion Technology Institute and a Govt. Art College.

The jury comprised of a designer, art expert and curator. On the 10th of May, a major event was organised at the Sasha Retail store, where the winners of the contest were recognised and prizes given by director of Indian Council for Cultural Relation, Kolkata Chapter. A photo exhibition by a designer and exhibition of recycled craft products by Sasha producer groups was held the same day. Approximately 50 people participated in the shop event of 'Celebrating the Recycled'. The exhibition continued for two weeks.

Two: A seminar on environment, Fair Trade & Ethical Business. Organised by Sasha, Silence and other Fair Trade Organisations of Eastern India with support from Hivos. It was a joint alliance building exercise of Fair Trade forum India and 'Concern for Calcutta', an autonomous, not-for-profit society committed to promoting environment sustainability protection.

In addition to Fair Trade Organisations and members of Concern for Calcutta, panelists and participants joined from government, academics, industry, banks, and chambers of commerce. Students and volunteers as well as members from the press also were invited to cover the seminar and take it to the wider audience outside.

A documentary film show was screened during the seminar. The audience was shown the Oscar award winning documentary by former us vice-president Al Gore- An Inconvenient Truth. The documentary is a gripping essay of the serious threat to the earth in terms of detrimental effects of human activities on atmosphere, land, water and habitat.

The film was followed by the final session involving the entire audience to find a way forward and aptly named the way forward  small & big steps. Approximately 70 people participated in the seminar.