Bocholt remains a Fairtrade city

Bocholt - The city of Bocholt continues to meet all the criteria of the Fairtrade Towns campaign and bears the title "Fairtrade City" for another two years. The award was first presented by Fairtrade Deutschland e.V. in 2013.

Fair trade and sustainable consumption are important building blocks for sustainable development. The Fairtrade Towns campaign makes an important contribution to this and provides a framework for the commitment of municipalities.

Bocholt has been a Fairtrade Town since September 2013. In order to be allowed to use this designation, the town must fulfil various criteria, including the establishment of a steering group made up of politicians, administrators, retailers and restaurants, as well as the involvement of civil society through information and educational events.

The Ökumenische Arbeitskreis Eine Welt Bocholt e.V. (Ecumenical Working Group One World Bocholt) is particularly active in Bocholt, providing information about fair trade and offering fair trade products in the world shop at St.-Georg-Platz.

The shop has existed in Bocholt for 25 years this year. For this reason, a number of special events are being organised around the shop, including a free lecture on "Fair Travel" on 20 November. (Information is available on the VHS website).

The working group is also organising a chocolate campaign again this year for St. Martin's Day. About 1,600 fairly traded chocolate bars will find their way into the St. Martin's bags of the children in Bocholt's outskirts. In addition to the fair chocolate, the campaign makes it possible to plant another 500 trees to save the climate and to pay cocoa farmers a fair price for their cocoa beans.

At the district level, the topic has also been intensively pursued since the end of 2022, because the district of Borken also wants to become a "Fairtrade Town". The district council unanimously passed the corresponding resolution in December 2022. The certification process is already very advanced. It is coordinated by a steering group. Its members come from district politics and the district administration, headed by District Administrator Dr. Kai Zwicker, as well as from the municipalities belonging to the district, from the local economy and civil society. The city of Bocholt is also a member of this steering group.