Free Trade vs. Fair Trade debate

Coinciding with Fair Trade Fortnight, Canterbury Christ Church University's 'Making Politics Matter' initiative is staging a debate on Tuesday 3rd March 2009 which explores the complex argument surrounding the issues of free trade and fair trade.

The event, entitled ‘Free Trade versus Fair Trade’, will feature key note speeches by Alec Van Gelder of the International Policy Network and Nick Hunt of the Fair Trade Network. It is part of the University’s ‘Making Politics Matter’ campaign which aims to get members of the public interested and involved in politics by inviting eminent politicians to engage with the local community on a number of prominent political issues.

Senior Lecturer of Politics at Canterbury Christ Church University, David Bates, said: “There is a great deal of talk about free trade and fair trade in the current media. This debate aims to shed some light on these loaded terms and provide an opportunity for debate on a set of increasingly important contemporary concerns: Is free trade really free? Is fair trade really fair? And are the two fundamentally incompatible?”

The event will be held at the University’s Old Sessions House Lecture Theatre, Longport, Canterbury. The talk is open to all members of the public and no advance reservation is required. Those who attend are asked to get to the University by 4.45pm for a 5pm start.