Exploring the campaigning dimension of the Festival, shining a light on issues of injustice. We talk to the cocoa growers of Ghana, whose cocoa is used to make the heavenly Divine chocolate. We hear from Harriet Lamb, the Head of the Fairtrade Foundation on what she thinks of Greenbelt’s stance on issues of trade justice. Almost ten years on from the millennium, we talk with Ann Pettifor, coordinator of the 'Jubilee 2000' campaign back in the 90s. We even speak to SPEAK, the student and young people’s network committed to social justice, and the makers of The Big Dress. We talk to our partners Christian Aid about why they campaign as well as give aid. And we also hear from middle-east nuclear secrets whistle-blower Mordeccai Vanunu about what campaigning cost him. And it's all here.
Check out Ann's latest incredibly prophetic book (published three years ago) The Coming First World Debt Crisis We're doing some work to develop our website, so talks by Ann are currently unavailable. When normal service resumes (hopefully by the end of the weekend), you'll be able to download talks by Ann at www.greenbelt.org.uk/talks
This is the question we've been asking in the office today. Fairtrade Fortnight starts today, so we thought we'd list a few of our favourite things and ask readers to add their own. Most of ours seem to be food items – I wonder what that says about us?!
Rachel, our Head of Content, is more healthy than us two, picking the Traidcraft Apricot Geobar. Festival Director Beki tops Rachel by going with Fairtrade bananas, but can't limit herself to just one choice – she also includes Little Valley Brewery Ginger Pale Ale.
And finally, Matt, our new Programme Co-ordinator, says that his favourite Fairtrade thing is the washing basket that his mother bought him when he moved into his new house. He tries to redeem himself by claiming that 'Fairtrade coffee is also always good', but we know that this is just a cover-up – it's mum's washing basket all the way for Matt…
A quick snapshot of forty-eight hours in the life of Greenbelt's Commercial Manager…
On Thursday it was a trip to Bristol to meet Colin Blake to try and persuade him to lead the recorded talks team. Turns out it only cost me a Pepsi and a school-dinner style sausage, chips and beans… bargain!
Colin's story made me smile; he first came to Greenbelt about thirty years ago, when the toilets were less pleasant and I wasn't born. After a bit of a break, Colin returned a couple of years ago, making good use of our free church leader offer, before immersing himself in the talks team in 2008. Now he finds himself leading the team…. what a man!
From a new team leader, to a less new team leader…
After an early rise, a cancelled train and a few delays I finally made it to Newcastle to meet Ben, Ru and Kev. Ben made the confession that he's been volunteering at the festival for 20 years, most of which has been spent in the g-store. We reflected on last year – what worked and what didn't – and looked forward to the year ahead.
A lot of miles covered but well worth it… phone and emails are good, but there is nothing quite like a face-to-face chin wag!
As if that wasn't exciting enough… Sunday is podcast day!
Over the last few years we've experienced a sea change in our relationship with the web. We are no longer just passive observers reading and digesting content chosen for us by 'webmasters'. Today, WE make the content. WE are the web.
And this is incredibly exciting.
Anyone can record a video and add it to YouTube, anyone can write a blog, anyone can take photographs and share them with the world.
In doing these things we are reaching out, sharing ourselves, forming relationships, having conversations, participating in a global movement.
And where there are people ready to share, participate, collaborate and connect there is opportunity for creativity, justice, understanding, reconciliation, community.
I'm delighted to accept Greenbelt's invitation to contribute to this blog. I hope you'll join me as we explore how the web and new technology is changing our world for the better.
Tonight at the London School of Economics, Harriet Lamb, Executive Director of the Fairtrade Foundation will be speaking about her latest book, Fighting the Banana Wars. In 2007 Harriet was voted the second most influential eco foodie in the UK after Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall in the Observer Food Monthly magazine. Her new book details her travels to find out the real cost of our 'cheap' food.
Tickets are free for tonight's event (starting at 6.30pm), and entry is first come, first served. For more information, click here.
And if you can't make it tonight, don't worry: we'll have snippets from our exclusive interview with Harriet Lamb on February's podcast, coming soon…
It's a quiet going-out week in the Greenbelt office. Matt and I are both at gigs tonight, but it's a week full of nights in for the rest of the team. Matt's going to see The Tintins at The Water Rats in Kings Cross – Beatles, Blur and Simon & Garfunkel-inspired folk-pop, according to their MySpace.
I'm heading to the Hope and Anchor in Islington to see This Beautiful Thief. Their MySpace suggests Bloc Party meeting Maximo Park and playing guitars loudly, and they're a band with a decidedly philanthropic ethos: if you're quick, you can download their debut album for free at their website. Unfortunately a ticket for the gig is setting me back £4, but still…
Other than that, Rachel is recovering after DJing in Brixton on Saturday and Karen is resting up ahead of a trip to Nicaragua on Sunday.
Is there anything that we're missing out on that you're going to see? Let us know. More next Monday…
… then don't miss it on More 4, tomorrow night (Tuesday 3rd February, 10:00 PM).
It's an eye-opening expose of the multi-billion dollar coffee industry and traces one man's fight for a fair price. Well worth a watch- especially if you don't buy Fairtrade coffee or do buy it, but aren't sure why!
This is the question we've been asking in the office today. Fairtrade Fortnight starts today, so we thought we'd list a few of our favourite things and ask readers to add their own. Most of ours seem to be food items – I wonder what that says about us?!
