Have you heard of such a concept as “fair trade schools” or “Fairtrade schools”? Fair trade schools are part of the global Fairtrade movement, contributing to raising awareness and action in support of ethical trade and the sustainability of global world trade processes. These are ordinary schools where our children go, which have integrated a course on Fairtrade into their curricula. Thus, they teach schoolchildren about global trade, ethical consumption, social and environmental responsibility and the importance of fair payment to farmers for their work, because they feed the world. This allows young students to learn about the existence of Fairtrade and take a broader look at the world and the trade processes taking place in it, as well as teach them to think in terms of fairness in remuneration and social life. Along with schools, such a program is also being introduced by educational institutions at other levels: colleges, universities, institutes.
Fairtrade schools have been established in various countries around the world, including the UK, Canada, Hong Kong, the USA, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ireland, Germany and others. Their number also varies in different countries. In the Czech Republic, for example, there are about 40, and in the UK there are more than 2,000. Schools appear in those countries where the Fairtrade approach has already taken root or is actively popularized. In Ukraine, unfortunately, there is no Fairtrade school yet, since this concept is still an unheard-of exoticism for us, and almost no one has consumed goods sold under the Fairtrade approach (at least not consciously).
However, individual schools on their own initiative in Ukraine can introduce lessons on the concept of Fairtrade, guided by the developments of UNESCO or USAID as recommendations.
The following information blocks can be included in the Fairtrade educational program:
• • introduction to the principles of Fairtrade and global trade justice;
• studying the path of agricultural goods from producers to consumers;
• problems faced by farmers and workers in developing countries and the role of Fairtrade in ensuring fair wages and decent working conditions;
• role-playing exercises and discussions to include students' critical thinking about processes in global trade;
• films, games and creative projects to make learning interactive.
Practical, full-fledged training programs have already been created around the world, for example, a 124-page curriculum called Win Win Solutions: Introduction to Fair Trade and Cooperative Economics, designed for grades 4-9 in English-speaking schools.
Of course, Fairtrade education is filled with practical content only in those countries and regions where it is a part of everyday life, and therefore Fairtrade fairs, Fairtrade shops and Fairtrade public events are widespread, as well as other manifestations of this activity in life and trade. In Ukraine, again, such initiatives and fairs do not yet exist, so creating practical education will be of little use. Although it would, of course, be very useful to lay the foundations for students to understand the importance of global economic and social cooperation and critical thinking in business, which will be very useful to them in adulthood. By studying according to the Fairtrade program, students also acquire valuable skills in teamwork, problem solving and protecting the interests of participants in business processes. This can better prepare them to become informed citizens and leaders in the globalized world in the future..
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