Taste the World festival addresses fair trade

The warm fragrance of freshly baked mince pies and brewed coffee wafted through the air at St James Cavalier, Valletta, yesterday luring visitors to the annual Taste the World fair trade festival.

Themed 'Colour the Difference', the festival was organised by the non-profit Fair Trade Co-operative in collaboration with the StoPoverty Campaign to raise awareness on the global movement of fair trade.

Although this year the event was organised on a smaller scale, the festival successfully presented its message with a seminar that addressed the need for an alternative method to current unjust trade trends.

Richard Adams, a member of the EU's Economic and Social Committee and a consultant on business, social and environmental programmes, was the guest speaker.

"The role of the fair trade movement is setting a high standard on how to deal with disadvantaged groups," he said.

The seminar was opened by the British High Commissioner, Sir Vincent Fean. Several local specialists in the field of trade and development participated.