This year is the first time that the International Fair Trade Towns Conference has been held outside Europe. This is a photo of Shoko in Oslo inviting us all to Kumamoto, the first Fairtrade Town in Japan. Shoko is chair of their steering group and she treated everyone to a taste of Japanese culture with a traditional dance following this presentation.

One reason for taking the conference there was to support all the work that is being done in Asia. I will miss being there but next year it comes back to the UK where Bristol will be the host.