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Saarbrücken : First Fair Trade University in Germany

May 21st, 2014
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News from Berlin - Coffee from Fair trade in the cafeteria, seminars entirely dedicated to issues related to Fair Trade : the University of Saarland is a big supporter of small farmers in developing countries. As a result, it was just awarded the label "Fair Trade University“, the first one in Germany.

The cafeteria annually cooks 30 to 40 tonnes of fairly traded rice, Fair Trade coffee bubbles from the coffee machines, and Fair Trade bananas fill up the shells. The kitchen manager, Thomas, checks every product that comes through food orders. As a result, a meal costs 30 cents more.

In addition, the university offers students and staff a free delivery service. "We have a list of products, and people can then just send us an email and we order something," says Nirina Andriamahazo from Madagascar. The demand is not yet very important amongst students, as Nirina brings an average of five packs of coffee a week on campus. However, she works to ensure that there will be more.

The "young Fairtrade ambassador“ Olga Dragunowa brought her idea to the university. This psychology student, originally from Russia, initiated the training for international students - along the lines of "You must be the change that you wish for you in this world."

News from Berlin - Berlin Global