By Kim Jae-won
Fairtrade Marketing Organization Korea (FMO Korea) hosted a breakfast event Sunday in Seoul to commemorate World Fair Trade Day, drawing some 5,000 people.
The “Big Fairtrade Breakfast” is one of the world’s largest international fair trade events and is organized by Fairtrade International and fair trade organization Max Havelaar.
Fairtrade International, headquartered in Bonn, Germany, works to ensure a better life for farmers and workers from developing countries through fair trade. The fair trade movement has been encouraging citizens to participate and understand fair trade by holding the campaign each year, organized here by FMO Korea leader Jee Dong-hoon.
The event was held simultaneously in Korea, U.K., France, Germany and many more countries. In Seoul, the Big Fairtrade Breakfast included a classical music concert by Gook-Bab, a book-signing by famous Korean novelist Kim Hong-sin and appearances by other public figures.
At the event, Fairtrade honorary ambassadors, Fairtrade soldiers and Fairtrade junior soldiers were appointed and will volunteer to promote understanding of the fair trade movement in Korea. They marched on Myeongdong Street to explain the fair trade concept, wearing banana costumes and distributing balloons and brochures.