Scottish Fair Trade Forum Director Betsy Reed was joined by Mahmoud al Qadi, an olive farmer from Palestine and Jamil Hijazin, a representative of the Fairtrade Development Centre in Bethlehem.
The Fairtrade concept is about ensuring better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world.

Companies are required to pay sustainable prices and avoid discriminating against the poorest and weakest producers.
Mr al Qadi, who is a member of the East Bank Zeid cooperative which was certified for organic olive oil production in 2006 and Fairtrade certified in 2008, told invited guests and pupils from Inverurie Academy how Fairtrade is changing the livelihoods of many in his village and is inspiring and enabling them to develop their own community.

They began the Beni Zaeid Cooperative in 2005 and each farmer's income has improved and together they are building a new primary school, improving roads and starting a university scholarship fund for graduates from their village. He said, "Because of Fairtrade we are thinking collectively in this cooperative. We're not just developing ourselves, we're developing a community."

Mr Hijazin, who represents the Fairtrade Development Centre in Bethlehem, which has been a key partner with local cooperatives offering support in their applications for Fairtrade certification.
The Development Centre was launched by Bethlehem University's Institute for Community Partnership with the aim of investing resources and benefiting Palestinian small businesses and producers. The Centre provides knowledge and training to to local small-holder farmers allowing them to become part of the international Fairtrade movement.
He gave a perspective on how the growing demand for "fairly traded" products in places such as Inverurie can result in farmers, such as those in Palestine, being able to make a decent living and invest in their communities.

Aberdeenshire Council's Sustainability Sub-Committee recently supported plans to encourage greater use of Fairtrade products across the authority and communities throughout Aberdeenshire.
The committee also agreed to encourage Aberdeenshire as a whole to work towards achieving 'Fairtrade Zone'.
Ellon and Inverurie are already Fairtrade towns, while the Mid-Formartine area has achieved Fairtrade Zone status.
Sustainability Sub-Committee chair Councillor Isobel Davidson said, "A number of Aberdeenshire towns have already shown their commitment to supporting Fairtrade, and we want to build on that."

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Betsy Reid commented, "The huge range of Fairtrade activity going on throughout Scotland this Fairtrade Fortnight highlights what we already know: that Scotland is a place that cares about how it treats people in the developing world through things like our weekly shop.
"Local authorities, businesses, schools, universities and other groups are already involved in the 'Final Push' to make Scotland the second Fair Trade Nation in the world by the end of 2011. Get involved and change a life – yours and someone else's."
Each year, the Scottish Fair Trade Forum brings fairtrade producers to Scotland to participate in events across the country during Fairtrade Fortnight.

This has helped yto make Scotland one of the most "fairtrade aware" nations in the world, with 71 per cent of the Scottish public recognising Fair Trade, and increasingly buying Fairtrade products. The aim is to make Scotland only the second Fair Trade Nation in the world by the end of 2011.
More information on the Scottish Fair Trade Forum can be found at www.sftf.org.uk , and details of the Fairtrade Foundation's campaign, The Big Swap, can be found at www.fairtrade.org.uk