5 December 2005:

Colin FIRTH, British actor, visits Commissioner Peter MANDELSON

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© European Community, 2005 | Brussels - Berlaymont

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VIDEO:

Video only available in Real media!

Version #1: 16:58 min.

Version #2: 05:02 min.

another one on the Make Trade Fair website.

AUDIO:

(it takes a few seconds before you hear voices!)

 16:04 min.

World renowned actor, Colin Firth, who has appeared in such films as ”Bridget Jones's Diary“, ”Love Actually“ and recently in ”Where the Truth Lies“, has met today Peter Mandelson, EC Member in charge of Trade. Colin Firth handed over Oxfam-supported Big Noise to Make Trade Fair, a petition of 10 million signatures, to the Commissioner ahead of the WTO Ministerial meeting, which will take place in Hong Kong from the 13th to 18th of December. The Big Noise -Oxfam's global mobilisation through a public petition- calls on decision makers to change unfair global trade rules so that people in developing countries have the chance to work their way out of poverty. The exchange of the petition has been followed by a photo call with the Big Noisy Make Trade Fair Chinese Dragon as a send off to Hong Kong.

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© European Community, 2005 | Brussels - Berlaymont

Colin Firth, British actor: ”There are millions of people more qualified and able to deal with this issue than I. They are about 10 millions. Their names are on the petition that I brought here. That number is growing very rapidly. About 80% of these names are actually from developing countries, and largely from the farmers themselves. So, I am basically here as a name on that petition and as a European citizen and as a consumer with the consumers’ complicity in the poverty problem. Poverty is not natural law; it’s a resulted choice that has been made by individuals, at events such as the ministerial which is about to come up. And I think the signature to this petition can now relieve the billions minds who are been attending that ministerial without the resources, we can not find some way of unlocking those talks.

Peter Mandelson, EC Member in charge of trade: I do know that I have the interest of millions of people to represent at Hong Kong in the World Trade talks. I do so with the best of my ability to meeting the needs of people who are poor, who are struggling in this world in which we all have the responsibility to make sure that the development that we seek, the development that we want, is properly balanced and provides that balance of opportunities for people to make their way, to earn their living, to have the chance to trade… And we can do it! There is no fundamental obstacle that we can not overcome to get to the end of this very important trade talks to create the sustainable opportunities that we seek.

Colin Firth, British actor on how consumers can make their voice heard in their everyday life: there are no simple strategies for the consumers. What I advise people to do is to take the advantage of the fact that all the information is available incredibly easily now: website, NGO’s… Be aware of what you are consuming. Find out who made it! The information is actually available!

Campaigning for Oxfam, not EU!

From EuObserver.com, 5 December 2005

Presence of the famous personality attracted a huge crowd of journalists and officials in Brussels, brandishing more cameras than notebooks.

The European Commission is currently planning to use the same strategy as campaign groups to get closer to European citizens - involving movie stars, sportsmen and other celebrities as its "goodwill ambassadors."

However, asked by the EUobserver whether he would get involved in promoting the EU, Colin Firth said without hesitation: "No."

"I would like to stay with the campaign in which you can be quite precise about what it is you want to achieve," he said.

On top of this, Mr Firth noted "it is not good to have people see you as this sort of campaigner everywhere because then they just think that you are the 'winback' and nothing else."

Photo #1     Photo #2     Photo #3     Photo #4

photos by Greg Williams

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May 2005: 

February 2005:

International stars join the Make Trade Fair campaign and get dumped on to highlight the unfair practices of the world trading system.

2002:

Actor Colin Firth, currently starring in a new adaptation of the classic Oscar Wilde play The Importance of Being Earnest, is joining a line up of stars to help launch Oxfam's coffee campaign.

Colin, who first sent pulses racing as Mr Darcy in BBC's Pride and Prejudice, is adding his voice to Oxfam's call for a fairer deal for the world's 25 million impoverished coffee farmers.  

Global issues have always been close to Colin's heart.  Although born in the UK, his early childhood was spent in Nigeria where his father worked as a teacher. He clearly remembers the time he spent there and believes that helped shape the international outlook he has today.  Also, his parents were born and raised in India and the family has maintained strong links with the country.  And added to that he has been a long time supporter of Oxfam - his mother was an education officer for Oxfam and ran the local Oxfam shop!

Colin believes that we should all take responsibility for what goes on in the world around us.

He says: "It's easy to live your life in a bubble.  We've found a way to live quite easily with all the inequalities but I believe we should open our eyes to problems in the rest of the world and try and do something about them."

And his support for Oxfam's coffee campaign stems from his belief that consumers should know the true story behind their cups of coffee. 

"The coffee shop is a dominant feature of the high street; we take it for granted. But the farmers who grow the beans that make the coffee we drink live in destitution; it is the big companies which are making the profits."  

Colin knows the problem may seem overwhelming because of its scale but believes that consumer pressure can make a difference.  

"It can be difficult to see what we can do about such a huge global problem.  What should you do?  For a start, you can buy Fair Trade coffee.  You can also talk to your friends about the issue.  If people know about it it'll make a great deal of difference.  The first choice is that people support the campaign, wear the t-shirt  and buy Fair Trade coffee  to drink at home."

Fair Trade coffee with Colin?  Now there's an offer you can't refuse...

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