Worldfest at Upper Barracca

Worldfest '06, organised by the Fair Trade Co-operative/Koperattiva Kummerc Gust (KKG), will be celebrated today from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., at Upper Barracca Gardens, Valletta,

Fair-traded products, delicious food specialities and drinks will be offered by L-Arka (306, St Paul Street, Valletta), the only fair trade shop in Malta.

Young refugees from Dar is-Sliem will provide African food, various bands will enjoy the audience with ethnic, blues and jazz music, African theatre will be played, and an Italian dance group will perform Capoeira, the traditional Brazilian fusion of dance and martial arts. Entrance is free of charge.

This year's Worldfest is celebrating the Global Journey to Fair Trade, a movement initiated by the International Federation for Alternative Trade (IFAT, www.ifat.org).

Koperattiva Kummerc Gust, as a member of IFAT, will receive the Fair Trade Banner from Africa to present it to the Maltese public as part of its voyage around the world. Malta will therefore be the first European country to display the banner.

The Global Journey started in 2004 at the World Social Forum in Mumbai, India. Setting off from one of the poorest slums in the world, IFAT members carry the banner around the globe to promote the message of fair trade.

For more information call 2131-5562 or 2124-4865, or visit www.l-arka.org