Seeking Peace Through Fair Trade Partnerships

The following article appeared on the front page of the Fair Trade Federations Spring 2007 Newsletter. The newsletter can be downloaded here

Global Goods Partners, FTF members since 2006, recently launched a new partnership with the Parents Circle Family Forum (PCFF), an organization dedicated to promoting dialogue, tolerance, and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. Through GGP’s marketing channels, PCFF’s signature product—the Bracelet of Peace—is now available in the US. The bracelet was created to express a shared aspiration and hope for a peaceful future. It has become a symbol among women peace activists around the world who wear it to represent their common struggle for a true and righteous peace. The PCFF is made up of more than 500 members, both Israeli and Palestinian, all of whom have lost close relatives as a result of the ongoing conflict. Global Goods Partners, a nonprofit organization based in New York City, is committed to alleviating poverty and promoting social justice by strengthening women-led development initiatives for marginalized communities in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. GGP provides its partners with direct access to new markets in the United States, increasing their revenue and global awareness of their work. It uses proceeds from product sales to provide technical assistance and grant support to its partners, assisting them in building stronger, more effective programs.