This October I attended online Ethical Consumer Week Conference 2020.
This is a short summary of some of the sessions I attended.
The conference began Saturday 24th October and concluded Friday 30th October 2020.
Many thanks to all the guest speakers and the Ethical Consumer team for an informative and inspiring week!
I look forward to the catch up session.
During the last week of Ramadan, June/July 2016 on a hot bright sunny morning I took a flight to Beirut, Lebanon.
I'd never been to an International Fair Trade Towns Conference but was excited to know that I would be representing the United Arab Emirates.
How it all began my fair trade story video presentation 2019 and graduation award ceremony with Chief Executive of the School For Social Entrepreneurs Mr Alistair Wilson and HE Reem Abdel Rahim BinKaram Director of NAMA Women Advancement and Establishment.
I thought I would share a few of my vlogs and photographs I've uploaded with my Fairphone2 since I received it February 2016.
This August I continued with Plastic Free July.
Participated and attended a DIY beauty workshop.
Wrote a food blog for Zero Waste Week 2019 -
How to make Masoor (red split lentils)and Moong (yellow lentils) ki Daal, this recipe was lovingly cooked by my late mother Mrs Meshar Mumtaz Bano.
In this blog I explain how Fairtrade supports the Sustainable Development Goals and how I have attempted to implement them in my everyday work and life.
I have concentrated on the following SDG's, SDG1, SDG2, SDG5, SDG8, SDG10, SDG12, SDG13, SDG16 and SDG17.
On a scorching hot and dusty afternoon, I headed to the Retold Boutique in Umm Suqueim for a a Natural Beauty Workshop with Amruta Kshemkalyani Co founder of Sustainability Tribe.
It was surprising to learn that my mothers (gram flour) besan and tumeric cleanser and (Fullers Earth) multani mitti face pack was part of the DIY beauty workshop.
To learn how to make the cleanser, face pack and scrub read my blog.
This July I edited my interview with Alex Schmidt and Marie Louise of Valy Export, Madagascar.
Participated in Plastic Free July 2019 and completed a MOOC with Future Learn titled Fashion's Future: Sustainable Development Goals Fashion Revolution
I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email from Alex Schmidt from Valy Export Madagascar mid April.
I invited him and his wife Marie Louise for lunch to learn more about their fair trade business.
This June I fasted the final days of Ramadan and celebrated Eid ul Fitr.
Was very poorly and had to rest my shoulders and back.
Ordered the Traidcraft 40th anniversary 2019 resource pack
and bamboo cup.
This May I received my certificate for the Future Learn MOOC
' Make Change Happen' with Oxfam and the Open University.
I embraced Ramadan 2019 and
celebrated World Fair Trade Day 2019.
WORLD FAIR TRADE DAY - DUBAI, UAE
This years World Fair Trade Organization campaign was 'Fairtrade Innovates',
I am very grateful to the amazing M.E.S.H team and the ever graceful Moon Sharma for their time, love and hospitality during my visit to Dehli mid April 19.
It was an absolute pleasure and honour to meet with Moon Sharma of Tara Projects.
Apa (Big Sister) as she is lovingly known spent an evening talking about her travels around the world, Tara Projects, fairtrade and shared stories of Gateshead and Newcastle.
Apa! Thank you so much for your kindness, time and beautiful gifts.
It was a dream come true to final land in the native country of my parents birth, India.
I arrived in Dehli and was greeted by a beautiful warm evening.
What followed was one of the most memorable weeks of my life.
I met distant family and visited two World Fair Trade Certified Organizations, M.E.S.H and Tara Projects.
Many thanks to Mathew K and Ms Moon Sharma for their time.
It was a dream come true to finally travel to the country of my parents birth, India.
I arrived in Dehli and was greeted by a beautiful warm evening.
I was humbled and privileged to visit two World Fair Trade Certified Organizations, M.E.S.H and Tara Projects.
Many thanks to Mathew K and Ms Moon Sharma for their time, care and hospitality.
Sadly, I was unable to interview Mathew, Ms Jacky Bonnie or the producer groups on this occasion and hope to interview them the next time I visit.
Despite struggling with my shoulders I completed my Six Items Challenge for the eighth consecutive year.
I interviewed Alex and Marie-Louise of Valy Export, Madagascar.
This April I was invited once again to judge 5 social enterprise businesses at the Middlesex University Dubai.
Many thanks to Shanthi Rajan, Sandra Stevenson, Suzannah Fernandes and Dr Michael Kloep and Dr Cody Paris for their hospitality.
It was a difficult decision as all the social enterprises were winners.
Congratulations to Pentagon and their initiative Mihriban for their concept and vision.
Despite struggling with my shoulders I participated in the Six Items Challenge for the eighth year.
I enrolled on the Be The Change Course with Oxfam and the Open University.
I welcomed environmental activist Isatou Ceesay and her son Madou to Dubai.
Isatou Ceesay and son Madou stayed with me for 5 days during their 7 day visit
to Dubai.
Isatou Ceesay is an environmental activist and social entrepreneur from Njau, Gambia.
For over 18 years she has been reducing the use of single use plastic.
She has co-authored a book about her plastic journey titled One Plastic Journey with Miranda Paul who I interviewed April 19.
February 2019 I applied to become an ambassador with World Pulse.
So here I am for the seventh consecutive year I'm participating in the Six Items Challenge with Labour Behind The Label.
This year the challenge commences 6th March - 18th April March 2019.
I have decided to participate and support the Six Items Challenge for the eighth year because I started to campaign for garment and factory workers while caring for my mother who had been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer.
The six items challenge means I choose six items of clothing to wear for six weeks.
Don't worry!
This does not include under garments or exercise gear. You can wear an endless supply of these. :)
I submitted my video for Be the Change Awards 2019.
Many thanks to Sian Conway and Jo Salter for their dedication and tireless work to make the Be The Change Awards successful.
This year I decided to fulfill some long overdue ambitions and enrolled on a
play writing course with the Emirates Literature Foundation.
My play was a collection of seven scenes highlighting experiences of discrimination, acceptance and love.
Thank you Alex and best wishes to Brenda, Tvisha, Ashwarya, Padmini, Edwige, Deborah, Julia and Andrea for their love and support on this inspiring journey.
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I'm Sabeena Ahmed owner and creator of The Little Fair Trade Shop. I've been an individual associate member of the World Fair Trade Organization since 2011 and together with my artisans I bring you a bespoke collection of ethically sourced fashion & gifts.
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