Although a popular concept in the West, few Asian cities have sought . Taipei, Taiwan’s capital city, will be the third Asian city to apply, joining Seoul, Korea, and Kumamoto City, Japan. According to Fair Trade Towns, a city must meet five requirements to qualify:
- Local council passes a resolution supporting Fair Trade, and agrees to serve Fair Trade products (for example, in meetings, offices and canteens).
- A range of Fair Trade products are available locally (targets vary from country to country)
- Schools, workplaces, places of worship and community organisations support Fair Trade and use Fair Trade products whenever possible
- Media coverage and events raise awareness and understanding of Fair Trade across the community.
- A Fair Trade steering group representing different sectors is formed to co-ordinate action around the goals and develop them over the years.
Read more about Taipei’s effort here.
To learn more about Fair Trade cities and towns, visit fairtradetowns.org.