IV edition of the Solidarity Economy Fair in Catalogne

On October 23, 24 and 25 the fourth edition of the Solidarity Economy Fair of Catalonia (FESC) will take place at the former Fabra i Coats factory in Barcelona. It is an annual event that brings together the rich tapestry of experiences and practices of solidarity economy of the country. Today, 171 organisations and enterprises are already registered to participate in the fair, representing 94% occupancy of the devoted space of Fabra i Coats in this event.

These organizations are mainly cooperatives, but also associations, foundations, consumer groups and employment agencies, among others. These 171 projects and initiatives of solidarity economy are divided into 33 municipalities throughout Catalonia, an example of the broad territorial scope of social solidarity economy in this territory.  The FESC has tripled the number of exhibitors  from the rest of the Spain with respect to last year, with the presence of companies from Bilbao, Almeria, Madrid, Pamplona, Valencia and Palma de Mallorca. Another point to note is that 30% of the registered organizations participate in the fair for first time.

By sector, the organizations that are active in the area of service delivery to individuals and other groups and the mains supply and foods are the majority, with 23% and 16% of the total respectively. The sectors of communication, education and culture (11% each), housing (10%), textiles and finance (6% each), entertainment (4%), and care (2%) follow.  The FESC demonstrates again that most of the necessities and needs of our daily lives may be filled with products and services offered by the cooperative, social and solidarity economy.

Also to be noted is the presence of experiences of solidarity economy of Kurdistan, which will be the guest nation this year. The area was chosen for its model of inspiration in the cooperative economy and their ecological and egalitarian, community principles despite being a stateless nation. The crucial role that women play in the economic process, something unique in the Middle East, is also highlighted.

There is also the presence of other countries, such as France, Italy and Portugal. Last year, the fair has been consolidated with a total of 17,000 visitors and nearly 100 activities in the program. In addition, 30,000 ECOSOL, a unique and alternative currency for fair transactions have been distributed in the fair.

See the program and more information here: www.firaesc.org

This post is also available in / aussi en: French