Nelson Mandela’s granddaughter visits Winnipeg for fair trade conference

Civil rights activist Nelson Mandela’s granddaughter delivered the keynote address at the National Fair Trade Conference in Winnipeg on Thursday.

Tukwini Mandela owns House of Mandela Wines, a fair trade company.

"Consumers are moving towards a far greater awareness of their purchasing power. They want to buy products with a soul and a purpose,” Mandela said at the conference’s opening reception at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

Around 400 delegates are attending the conference, which runs until Saturday at the Fort Garry Hotel. Topics of the conference include marketing fair trade goods, climate change and advocacy.

“Fair trade's about connecting the products we buy to those who are producing,” said Sean McHugh, executive director of the Canadian Fair Trade Network.

“Most of the things we enjoy, like coffee and tea and sugar and cocoa, are imported from developing worlds, and fair trade's about ensuring they get paid a fair price and live a decent life."

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  Mandela addresses the crowd at the National Fair Trade Conference’s opening reception in Winnipeg.