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100 balls made from Fairtrade-certified production were handed over to sports clubs in the Fulda district. The aim is to draw attention to grievances in global sporting goods production.
Fulda – The starting point of the campaign was the recertification of Fulda as a “Fairtrade city” last year, as the city and the Fulda Environmental Center announced in a joint press release. The “Faires Fulda” working group came up with the idea of making the connection between sport and fair trade tangible.
Mayor and head of sports department Dag Wehner, who was recently elected for a third termhanded over 100 fairly produced balls to clubs in the region in the FSV Germania Fulda clubhouse. According to the city, the purchase was financed together with Sparkasse Fulda, which acted as a sponsor; The Fulda Environmental Center was in charge of implementation.
Clubs in the Fulda district receive 100 fairly traded balls
According to the city, the background to the initiative is serious problems in ball production: around 75 percent of all footballs worldwide are manufactured in Pakistan – often under inhumane conditions, according to the statement. “As a city, we took this as an opportunity to get the ball rolling that focuses attention on the ways in which clubs here can also make a contribution to fair trade in sports equipment,” said Wehner. is the sponsor of the campaign the Sparkasse Fulda, which also supports the sports badge, among other things.
The 100 balls – footballs, handballs and volleyballs – were purchased through the “Bad Boyz Ball Factory,” which says it works with Fairtrade-certified manufacturers in Pakistan. “These balls not only stand for sporting activity, but also for responsibility and global solidarity,” emphasized the mayor.
According to the city, the “Fair Balls” differ from conventional goods in particular in terms of working conditions, social benefits and pay for workers. Fulda has had the title “Fairtrade Town” since 2018 and wants to strengthen fair trade at the local level. The aim is to better network actors from civil society, politics and business who are locally committed to fair trade products.
The sports circle praises the idea of bringing Fairtrade ideas to clubs
The Fulda-Hünfeld sports district supported the organizational process, and the sports association of the city of Fulda was also involved. On behalf of the sports group, its chairman Harald Piaskowski praised the campaign and the suggestion to specifically bring such ideas into the clubs.
On behalf of the environmental center, Rieke Trittin from the management emphasized that fair trade thrives on “the fact that more and more people take part”. Every club can make a contribution – for example by purchasing Fairtrade-certified balls, serving certified coffee at club parties or purchasing products made from certified cotton. Sport connects people across generations, cultures and borders and is therefore an ideal ambassador for values such as fairness, respect and responsibility.
According to the announcement, the meeting of the club representatives also served to exchange ideas and network among the actors involved. Words of thanks from the mayor and the environmental center went to FSV Germania Fulda, which had made its club rooms available.
