DEBATE: LIVING INCOME FOR FAIR CHOCOLATE?

Beste lezer / blogvolger van weleer.

Op 5 mei 2021 organiseert Universiteit Hasselt in samenwerking met Oxfam-Wereldwinkel Hasselt een online debat over leefbaar inkomen in de cacaosector. Onze cacaospecialist Bart Van Besien gaat in gesprek met Minister Meryame Kitir, Manuel Kiewisch (Mondelez) en … Pauline Zei (Inades Formation Côte d’Ivoire).

Het debat wordt georganiseerd door het International Office van de Universiteit Hasselt en gaat door in het Engels en Frans, met simultane vertaling via Zoom. Vandaar dat ook de communicatie, die je hieronder vindt, in het Engels verloopt. Inschrijven doe je via dit formulier. Het Facebookevenement vind je hier.

DEBATE: LIVING INCOME FOR FAIR CHOCOLATE?
5th May 2021 at 19h

As a university and as one of the signatories of the Beyond Chocolate charter, Hasselt University aims to stimulate the debate between different stakeholders in the cocoa industry.

On May 5^th we bring them together in an online debate about an important part of the current discussion: “Living income for cocoa farmers?”.

Growing cocoa is an important income provider for many households in Africa and a living income is an important factor to build a sustainable livelihood.

• But what is a living income?
• What is fair chocolate?
• How can you combine these two in a market with little set regulations?
• Are there any pitfalls in the living income discussion?
• What is the role of the multinational companies within the industry?
• How does the government play a role in setting regulations?
• What about the customers

Join our debate between:

• Manuel Kiewisch – Mondelēz, one of the worlds’ largest snack companies (Côte d’Or, Milka, Toblerone,…)
• Bart Van Besien – Oxfam, global movement fighting inequality to end poverty and injustice (Fair Trade Chocolate)
• Minister Meryame Kitir, Minister of Development Cooperation and of Major Cities
• Pauline Zei, Director of Inades Formation Côte d’Ivoire and Chairwoman of the Ivorian Civil Society Platform for Sustainable Chocolate.

Never have these parties sat around the (digital) table together in a public debate about the economy, inequality, injustice within the chocolate world we all know. Or, at least, we all think we know.

Introduction by:

• Prof. dr. Bernard Vanheusden – Hasselt University Rector.
• Julien Tayoro – Representative of local Oxfam project in the Ivory Coast.

Moderation by:

• John Vandaele, MO* Magazine.

Practicalities:

• Date: 5th May 2021 at 19h.
• Languages: English and French. Live interpretation to both English and French will be provided in the Zoom session.
• Register via this link. We will send you the Zoom link leading up to the date of the debate. Register before April 22nd 11:59 PM and receive a finger licking treat!
• If you want to join the discussion, you will be able to post questions or remarks in the chat.