Back-to-Back events in Cebu for a BIG change!

Mark your calendars!

Something BIG will happen in Cebu this coming August 7 and August 8.

Global Xchange, a youth volunteering programme by the VSO and British Council that is composed of 9 Filipino and 9 British 18-25 year olds, have prepared two back-to-back events this weekend as part of their Butterfly effect project advocacy (visit: http://thebutterflyeffectproject.com).

The first event will happen on August 7. It is called 1GOAL: EDUCATION FOR ALL Football Clinic.

The second event will happen on August 8 which is the I WANT TO BE FAIR CAMPAIGN LAUNCH.

The Global Xchange volunteers have been back from United Kingdom and are now on their second phase in the Philippines. Taking the lead in affecting change in their community, they now venture in promoting 1GOAL: Education for All campaign.

Global Xchange, which is an initiative set up by VSO in partnership with British Council and VSO Bahaginan, is a volunteer exchange program which gives young people from the Philippines and the UK a chance to work together to develop and share valuable skills to make a practical contribution where it is needed in local communities.

The 1GOAL campaign, on the other hand, aims to gather as many signatures as possible to send 72 million children to school, giving them the chance to learn and have access to good education. It aims to use the influence of football to ensure that education for all is a lasting impact of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Having this in mind and bringing the cause to the Philippines, the Global Xchange (GX) Team 107 takes the campaign to Cebu through a football clinic. It will be held on the 7th of August 2010 at the University of San Carlos- Montessori School grounds from 10:00 in the morning to 5:00 in the afternoon.

“I am confident that this endeavor will help in fostering awareness to the cause of the campaign,” says Karl Benson Molina who handles the 1GOAL campaign for the GX team.

Coming to lead the football clinic are members of the Philippine National Football Team themselves.

Over a hundred people are expected are to participate in the said event.

“This will surely help in adding up to the current number of signatures made for the campaign,” says Molina.

The campaign calls for ‘Education for All’ by getting 30 million people globally to sign up and support the cause. The signatures that will be gathered will be presented to the world leaders attending the UN Heads of State Summit in New York, USA in September to urge them to prioritize learning and influence policies on education in their countries.

People may take part in this campaign by signing up online at www.vsobahaginan.org.ph/1goal.

Cebu- do you want to be FAIR?

The Fair Trade Shop Cebu and the Global Xchange Team 107 are choosing to be FAIR.

This August, their unified statement is- “I want to be FAIR, do you?”

As part of its first anniversary celebrations, the Fair Trade Shop Cebu is launching the “I want to be FAIR” campaign. It aims to improve awareness of the global Fair Trade movement and demonstrate the role it can play in the Philippines. By giving small-scale farmers and artisans a fair price for their goods, Fair Trade aims to tackle the huge inequality in the current system of trade and help some of the poorest in society.

The campaign, with the guidance of their supervisor Geraldine Labradores, was conceptualized and created by two Global Xchange Volunteers, Toni Zuniga from Manila and David Thompson from England.

“Fair Trade is a big concern in the UK. As more people become aware of the unfair system of free trade that impoverishes farmers and workers in the South while huge retailers get richer and richer, more and more people are willing to pay for products that have been traded fairly.” Thompson said.

“We hope that through this campaign more Pinoys, especially the youth here in Cebu, will realize that by making small changes, such as buying Fair Trade products and by explaining Fair Trade to friends and family, we can all help affect the balance of trade in favor of some of our most disadvantaged workers.” Zuniga said.

The campaign will be officially launched with the unveiling of full campaign posters and a Fair Trade fashion show this August 8 at The Fair Trade Shop Cebu, Office Room 102, Jose Martinez Building, Osmena Boulevard, Cebu City from 9am to 12 noon.

Fair Trade products will be available from the shop during the celebrations. The campaign will then continue throughout the year involving school tours and store promotions.

So if you want to be FAIR this August, make a visit to the Fair Trade Shop Cebu on Sunday and be part of the BIG CHANGE!

See you there!