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Fair Trade International Symposium (FTIS)

Fair Trade International Symposium (FTIS)
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The Fair Trade International Symposium (FTIS) is the leading global gathering for scholars, practitioners and policymakers working on Fair Trade.
17 June 2002

The FTIS takes the form of a regular, large-scale conference event that gathers interested parties from all across the world in order to showcase the latest and highest quality research undertaken in the area of 'Fair Trade'. It aims to bring together both the world’s leading and newly emerging academic researchers, along with practitioners, policymakers and the general public, for the development and consolidation of collective knowledge on the subject of Fair Trade. 

The FTIS is an initiative of scholars interested in Fair Trade and Fair Trade practitioners representing the main Fair Trade institutions, including the World Fair Trade Organization, Fairtrade International, with the support of the Fair Trade Advocacy Office.

The FTIS process is steered by a group representing Fair Trade academic networks and the above-mentioned Fair Trade movement organisations.

Each edition of the Symposium is organised by a Scientific Committee, composed of appointed academics by the host Institution, and a Steering Group. 

Past editions

The past editions of the Fair Trade International Symposia took place in:

  • 2002 Montreal, Quebec, Canada
  • 2006 Montreal, Quebec, Canada
  • 2008 Montpellier, France
  • 2012 Liverpool, UK · 2015 Milan, Italy · 2018 Portsmouth, UK
  • 2020, Online event, Fair Trade and resilience in supply chains: insights from the past, perspectives on the future.  
  • 2023, Leeds, UK
  • Upcoming edition: The next edition of the Fair Trade International Symposium will be hosted by the Global South Studies Center (GSSC) from 23-25 September 2026 in the Fair Trade town of Cologne, Germany.

How to get involved

  • Join the Linkedin community: The FTIS community has an official LinkedIn group designed to foster engagement and encourage participation in FTIS events. It's a space for academics and practitioners who are passionate about Fair Trade to connect, share and collaborate.
  • You can also follow the FTIS on X (formerly Twitter).
  • Read the Journal of Fair Trade,  a biannual, single-blind, peer-reviewed title published by Pluto Journals, an interdisciplinary social science journal bringing together academics and practitioner voices. The Journal of Fair Trade is a Diamond Open Access publication available on Science Open and JSTOR Platforms. The Journal of Fair Trade regularly publishes the work of FTIS-associated academics and provides the FTIS with coordination and publication of an FTIS Special Edition featuring work presented at FTIS events and the biennial symposium. Guidelines for Contributors are available on the JoFT website.  In 2024, The Journal of Fair Trade published Volume 5, featuring the work of FTIS and Symposium participants under the theme of Fair Trade Connections (See Volume 5, Issue 1 and Issue 2).
    The Journal of Fair Trade - FTIS partnership helps amplify the voices of academics and practitioners in the Fair Trade movement, fostering deeper dialogue and wider dissemination of ideas.