The Fairtrade fortnight is an annual event in which fair and ethical trading values are celebrated. The concept was pioneered by the Fairtrade Foundation in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

, and held firstly in 1997 in Scotland directed by Barnaby Miln

Barnaby Miln

Barnaby Miln is a social activist and former British magistrate. He is best known as the originator of the AIDS Awareness ribbon, World AIDS day, and for promoting Fairtrade fortnight and the Jubilee 2000 human chain around the G8 leaders...

. This turned out to be a highly successful campaign to get every supermarket throughout Scotland to stock Fairtrade products. It spread to the rest of the United Kingdom the following year. Today, Fairtrade fortnights are celebrated in several countries, most notably Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

 and New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

.

Awareness raising and the promotion of Fairtrade products

Fairtrade labelling

Fairtrade certification is a product certification system designed to allow people to identify products that meet agreed environmental, labour and developmental standards. Overseen by a standard-setting body, Fairtrade International , and a certification body, FLO-CERT, the system involves...

 to the public are the main objectives of the fortnight.

Usually these events are:

• Fetes
• Fairs
• Fairtrade food and drink tastings
• Fashion shows

These events are supported by local authorities and governments, Fairtrade Steering Groups, dozens of charities and ATOs

Alternative trading organization

An alternative trading organization is usually a non-governmental organization or mission-driven business aligned with the Fair trade movement, aiming "to contribute to the alleviation of poverty in developing regions of the world by establishing a system of trade that allows marginalized...

, all seeking to ensure that the local populace purchase fair and ethically traded goods. Local schools and colleges where Fairtrade is an oft discussed topic also play a large role with Fairtrade Fortnight.

Events are spotlighted and recorded on various national Fairtrade labelling websites (such as the Fairtrade Foundation or TransFair Canada

Transfair Canada

Fairtrade Canada, formerly TransFair Canada, is a national non-profit certification and public education organization promoting fair trade certified products in Canada to improve the livelihood of developing world farmers and workers...

) and most media arms are keen to support a fast growing trend in which previously disadvantaged third world producers have a fairer market to sell their wares and develop their economic capabilities.

In 2012 Fairtrade Fortnight will be celebrated from February 28th to March 13th.