15-25 August 2005

Make Trade Fair campaigners create waves

Afloat on a boat – young campaigners organise a roadshow with a difference.

This summer, young activists from Mjaft Youth Movement got together for a very special Make Trade Roadshow, which promptly took to the water. Around 30 activists took part in the 'Boatshow', which set out from Velipoja, a coastal town near Shkodra, and arrived ten days later in Butrint, near Saranda.

The enthusiastic young activists boarded the boat equipped with tents, sleeping bags and campaigning materials. Everyone wore t-shirts and hats with the slogan "Say NO to Poverty – Buy Made in Albania".

As they traveled down the coast, they stopped at villages and towns to meet farmers and spread the word about Make Trade Fair. At Velipoja, they handed out 30 t-shirts, 400 pins and 200 white bands to people on the beach. They also gave out 400 stickers and 100 posters at the farmers' market, local restaurants and businesses.

Stopping in at Shenglin beach, some of the young activists organized an awareness-raising game while others handed out local farmers' produce for people to try.

During the tour, the activists also organized farmers’ meetings to discuss trade issues and promote local produce. In Golem, they handed out samples of local farmers’ produce and displayed 100 posters around the village. In Himara, farmers talked about their difficulties in accessing markets, and the need for more investment and government support.

Maks, a dairy farmer, told the campaigners: "It's impossible to compete with imported products. It would be better if we worked as a group because some of us could deal with production and others with marketing."

Back on dry land, the Albania Make Trade Fair Roadshow culminated in a series of campaigning events as part of 'White Band Day 2: Wake up to Poverty' on 10 September.

Everywhere they went, activists asked people to sign up to The Big Noise. Around 1,500 people signed up during the Roadshow itself. And MJAFT youth clubs around the country are still collecting signatures.

The global Big Noise Petition will be presented to Ministers this December at the WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong.