Panel: Structures and Systems to achieve the SDGs: How should campaigners engage with their elected representatives to achieve systemic change?
Martin Rhodes, MP for Glasgow North and Chair of All Party Parliamentary Group on Fairtrade. Scottish Parliament.
- Write to you elected representatives.
- Make it personal.
- Gains further attention.
- Say something that is new/different.
- Provide different statistics that they can use.
- Build relationships, use shared interests.
- Look for alliances/partnerships that amplify your message.
- SDGs came out of grassroots campaigns, academia, politicians.
- You have to keep the message positive.
- With the growth of far right, it’s still important to contact your MP.
- Sustainability and fair trade are often not the most important issues. Make them.
- Get a diverse group together, better than an individual
Imogen Suett, Fairtrade Campaigner, Fairtrade Foundation, suggested:
- Help each other.ghf
- Build networks of people that support your cause.
- Key step is writing to your MP.
- Can you be a platform for your elected representatives agendas?
- Create a space locally – e.g. hold a Question-and-Answer session.
- Incorporate a broader issue like Social Justice than just Fairtrade.
Magdalena Śliwińska, Associate Professor, Poznań University of Economics and Business reported that:
- Poznan became the first economic Fairtrade university in Poland last year.
- Fair Trade and sustainable business markets and models go together.
- Fair trade campaigners have advanced discussions about sustainability.
- Societies based upon sustainability and care meet the SDG goals.
- Fairtrade does this already.
- “Everything you make, make sense”.
- Universities are trend setters for these ideas.
- Help them to obtain their Fairtrade accreditation.
Sagwata Manyike, Senior Advisor: Economic Growth and Investment, South African Local Government Association, stated that:
- He advises other LGAs to help them become FT
- Draakenstein 1st self-declared Fairtrade Municipality.
- Repeat your message 7 times to your politician.
- Partnerships are key.
- “Come out of your silos”.
- There are offices in each of the 9 states of South Africa.
- Connections with schools, colleges and universities vital.
- Young people and student are energetic and creative.