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by Scott Patterson, Peace Coffee Director

For one week this September, Cancún hosted the 5th Ministerial of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Spearheaded by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, a variety of non-governmental organizations from North American and Mexico organized a Fair Trade Symposium and Fair Trade products expo to coincide with the summit. The goal of the Fair Trade presence in Cancún was to highlight Fair Trade as an alternative to global trade policies that wreak havoc on farmers and producers from less developed countries.

When I arrived in Cancún, I was shocked by the massive, glitzy hotels that push skyward from what used to be swampland. While I knew that I would focus on the Fair Trade symposium, I had hoped to get a closer look at the inner workings of the WTO and also participate in the peaceful (of course – I work for Peace Coffee!) demonstrations that brought an amazing array of voices from around the globe. It quickly became clear that jumping between these worlds -- the street demonstrations, the WTO conference center and the Fair Trade Symposium -- would be difficult due to geography and extremely tight security. more...

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…the Gale Woods Farm Grand Opening - 3,390 visitors attended the grand opening of this natural resources-based park to enjoy a day of musical entertainment, horse drawn hayrides, canoe rides, barn tours, games including a burlap coffee sack race and a free farm style dinner. Visit www.threeriversparkdistrict.org for directions to the farm and upcoming events.

…the annual fundraiser for The Nonviolent Peaceforce - ‘Work a Day for Peace’ raises funds for and awareness of The Nonviolent Peaceforce, encouraging people to donate their days wage towards creating an alternative to violence in the world. Find out more at www.nonviolentpeaceforce.org

…the 2nd Labor Day Extravaganza of the Saint Paul Trades and Labor Assembly, AFL-CIO - Thousands came for the good music, good food and even better coffee, and Jim Hightower, Patch Adams and Granny D charged the crowd with inspiring speeches.

Here is an excerpt from Doris 'Granny D' Haddock’s call for action:

"We the people, acting together in the new ways made possible by electronic communication, must become the large counterbalance to these powers – the counterbalance that our government no longer provides. By communicating and acting in concert, we can reward the good companies and thereby keep our money clear of the worst. We can make our demand for fair trade products and provide the shift in market share that will change the practices of those businesses that now exploit our brothers and sisters here and around the world. We can agree together which television news channel is the least objectionable, and agree to watch only that – for our watching and buying habits are votes for the kind of world we will live in.

By nudging market share, our small group of dedicated people can influence great changes. We have the tools now to do this now. It will not be an easy task, but we have no real alternative if we are to save the world, and that is what we must decide to do.

Tell your favorite coffeehouse that, as of Earth Day 2004, you will only buy fair trade coffee. Let us give a "fair warning for fair trade" in this and other areas of products and services. Let us develop the best information about who is doing what, and let us use our new tools of electronic democracy to come to consensus regarding which companies deserve our support – a reverse boycott on a global scale."

For the complete text of Granny D's remarks on Fair Trade, visit http://grannyd.com/speech20030816.htm.

 
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Thousands of bike riders from across Minnesota proved how energy efficient (and delightful) urban cycling can be by participating in the 9th Annual Saint Paul Bike Classic. Riders embarked on a 15-mile route or a 31-mile route along the mighty Mississippi and historic downtown St. Paul.

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Peace Coffee Embroidered Patches - $2.50 ea.
Perfect for bike bags, purses, back packs, stocking caps and more!

Buy yours today -- click here!

(click image for larger version)

Think you know a lot about coffee? Then enter our Fair Grounds Trivia Contest. Click here for our question of the month. Entering is easy and it's FUN!

Even though our judges were kept very busy this past month traveling, meeting and biking, they did have a few moments to get together and decide on a winner for our August question. Congratulations to Jon Passki -- our Coffee Knowledge winner! 

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"I believe that peace in Guatemala is not a myth, neither is it a myth for Central America, or for the people of this continent or other continents. Rather, it is a process which requires effort and consciousness-raising around the world, especially among those in governments and in large organizations that have the power to make important decisions." 

– Rigoberta Menchu Tum, Nobel Peace Laureate

• August 2003
• July 2003

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Fair Grounds is produced by:
Cooperative Coffees

Contact Information:

Orders and General Information
Phone - 612.870.3440 or 1.888.324.7872 
Fax - 612-677-3989
E-Mail - info@peacecoffee.com
Web - http://www.peacecoffee.com

Peace Coffee Crew*:
Anna Canning
Beth Backen
Melanee Meegan
Michelle Ramier
TJ Semanchin
Scott Patterson

*We work together to get the coffee out to our customers. Although we have specific job titles, we all take turns switching roles and putting in time where it's needed most.

Peace Coffee Bikers*:
Brad Wilson
Kirsten Collins

*Our bikers pack a mean trailer full of coffee. They are speedy as speedy gets. Watch out, when they are on the street, they mean business!

Summer Interns*:
Katie Harrod (St.Olaf 03')
Louis Deering (McGill University 04')

*These two interns bring a lot of good energy to Peace Coffee. They are bright, innovative and motivated.

Fair Grounds is designed by:

Starstruck Design
335 West Gill Road
Gill, MA 01376

Contact Information:
Don Kruger - dkruger@starstruckdesign.com
Lynn Nichols - lnichols@starstruckdesign.com
Phone - 413.863.7752
Fax - 413-863-7752 
Web - http://www.starstruckdesign.com

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