National Symposium
The National Symposium was held on May 27, 2018 at Himalayan Hotel, Lalitpur. The event was organized with the objective to educate on fair trade as a sustainable development model by developing a common understanding of the role and importance of fair trade on economic empowerment and the development of a nation. During the Symposium, brief outcomes were shared on fair Trade works including the viewpoint of grassroots level producers and possible opportunities and challenges to promote fair trade across various stakeholders and mainstreaming fair trade into national policies were explored.
The symposium commenced with welcoming remarks from Mr. Chitra Bahadur K.C., Chairperson of FTG Nepal. The event was formally commenced with the traditional candle lighting ceremony, led by the Chief Guest Honorable Minister Mr. Rabindra Adhikari, Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. Dignitaries who presented their view on fair trade movement included Secretary of Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizen, Vice President of FNCSI, Executive Director of TEPC, Chairperson of FHAN. 107 individuals participated in this event, including officials from government organizations, private sectors, NGOs, INGOs, fair trade member organizations and producers.
The symposium held at a national level proved to be beneficial in gaining recognition from government stakeholders, sensitizing students on Fair Trade practices, and enlarging the scope and understanding of the fair-trade movement.