Your Town, Our World - Fair Trade Communities & Local Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals

Join us for the International Fair Trade Towns Conference taking place in Edinburgh this August, as we mark 25 years of the Fair Trade Towns Movement.

In the capital city of the world’s second Fair Trade Nation, Edinburgh will be celebrating both the city’s 900^th anniversary, and the 21^st year as a Fairtrade Community. Together, at this special event, we will explore the theme Your Town, Our World - Fair Trade Communities & Local Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

We all know that current global issues like poverty, inequality, and the climate crisis show that conventional economic approaches are failing, and that Fair Trade offers a sustainable alternative. Fair Trade enterprises are leading the way in demonstrating that balancing financial success with the wellbeing of people and the planet is possible.

This 18^th International Fair Trade Towns Conference gives us the opportunity to come together, following the success of last year’s conference hosted in Drakenstein, South Africa, and to plan our next steps as grassroots campaigners. The principles and practices of Fair Trade support the Sustainable Development Goals, community wellbeing and enterprise, and an equitable and sustainable world. As a Fair Trade campaigner and activist, your contribution is essential this year in Edinburgh as we tackle the challenges we face as a movement, along with the local success stories, and the story of Fair Trade as vital to a new global economy.

Let’s come together on 30 - 31 August in Edinburgh from around Scotland and across the world as local changemakers ready to gain the support needed for systemic change and for global sustainable development.

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and invite representation at this year’s International Fair Trade Towns Conference in Edinburgh from communities around the world, especially from people whose voices may often go unheard. We are also planning to live stream and / or film the sessions where this is possible, and more information will follow about this. Everyone is welcome. 

With thanks to the event sponsors, City of Edinburgh Council, the Scottish Government, Scotmid Co-op, the Fairtrade Foundation, and Hand Up Events. 

Important Information

Please read the conference website before booking. 

Wherever you decide to stay, we recommend you book your accommodation as soon as possible as it can be very difficult and expensive to make a late booking.

Please ensure you have adequate travel insurance to cover any travel and accommodation costs in the event that the conference was not able to go ahead due to circumstances beyond our control. The conference organisers are not liable for attendee expenses in the event of cancellation. Conference fees will be refunded.

On the evening of Friday 29 August, a reception is being hosted at Edinburgh City Chambers, starting at 7:00pm. We hope as many attendees as possible will be able to attend this opening event. The 30 August is the first day of the conference, and 31 August is the final day of the main conference. On 1 September there is an optional bus tour to Fair Trade social enterprise, True Origin, followed by a bit of sightseeing on the return journey. Please book your travel accordingly. 

No cost tickets are available for some delegates (where the current cost is £15), including: student and / or young person (age 14-28); conference speaker / contributor; and fee waived. Please read the information about ticket pricing and access for all, and, if it applies to you, please email ifttc@scottishfairtrade.org with your application to have your fee waived. A code will be emailed to you to discount the ticket fee.    

If you have any questions at all, please email ifttc@scottishfairtrade.org.