Coldplay is championing the Make Trade Fair campaign during the second leg of their "Twisted Logic" tour, January through April 2006. The concerts feature a call to sign Oxfam's Big Noise petition calling on world leaders to change trade rules that deny millions of farmers around the world the benefits of trade.
"Economically, unfair trade will benefit nobody in the long run, as poorer countries will be bled totally dry and will become unable to produce anything." said Coldplay's front man, Chris Martin.
Worldwide, the Big Noise petition has gathered over 17 million signatures, many from those living in developing countries such as Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Zambia. Oxfam delivered the Big Noise to world trade ministers in December at the WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong.Coldplay's Chris Martin has witnessed firsthand the crippling effects of unfair trade rules on small farmers after traveling to both Ghana and Haiti with Oxfam. He began working with Oxfam in 2002 and has since participated in a number of high profile moments in the campaign, including an international ad campaign and delivering the Big Noise petition to world leaders.
"How on earth could anybody stand in a field with these people and say that it's the right thing to do to dump their excess produce cheaply on a third world country? It's beyond me," said Martin. "But the truth is, the people responsible haven't talked to the farmers in the areas affected."
Trade has the power to lift millions of people out of poverty but instead millions are struggling because of the current unfair trading system.
Make Trade Fair volunteers will be at each show signing up supporters and handing out more information on the Make Trade Fair campaign.
To learn more about Make Trade Fair and Oxfam, visit http://www.maketradefair.com.
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