VOA标准英语2009年-Global Exchange Seeks Worldwide Change

Jan Sluizer | Washington, DC 04 December 2009

Global Exchange was founded in 1988 with an ambitious¹ goal. As co-founder Kirsten Moller explains, "We're not trying to create an institution. We're trying to build a movement, making a difference in the world." Moller, now the group's Executive² Director, describes Global Exchange as an activist³ human rights organization. "We want to bring together people, empower them and inspire them to engage in an internationalist movement."

A trip to Haiti led activists⁴ to form new group

 

Kirsten Moller and Kevin Danaher say Global Exchange builds people-to-people ties

Global Exchange grew out of a visit to Haiti that Moller took with Kevin Danaher and his wife, Medea Benjamin. They were all members of Food First. The activist organization supports the idea of growing food to feed local populations rather than for export markets. Like Food First, Global Exchange is a frequent and fierce critic of U.S. foreign, military and trade policies.

As they traveled around Haiti, Moller, Danaher and Benjamin took note of the beautiful artwork and crafts. They thought if they could sell that art in the United States, they could use the profits to support human rights campaigns in Haiti. Then, Moller says, they decided⁵ they could do even more: link all the groups around the world working for social and economic justice under one banner - Global Exchange.

Promoting the concept of fair trade

"I think Global Exchange creates tool kits⁶ for people to do things, we encourage people to do things," Moller says. "We're happy when people take things and do it on their own. It was really a way to create engagement⁷. That's what we were trying to do and I think that's what we're still trying to do."

Global Exchange's slogan is 'Resist Injustice⁸, Build Alternatives, Take Action.' An important way they do that, Kevin Danaher says, is to promote the concept of fair trade. Fair trade is a market-based approach to development assistance, which works with local farmers and artisans to help them get a higher price for the crops and products they export to the developed world. It also supports stricter labor⁹ and environmental standards.

Global Exchange has three stores as well as an online site, where it sells fair trade products made by artisans around the world, including a disabled group in Kenya, a women's group in El Salvador, and a peasant's group in Indonesia. "These are people that don't want charity," Danaher stresses. "They just want a market for their products. They want to earn their way out of poverty. It has more dignity. So we provide an outlet¹⁰ and because we're a non-profit we can give them the profits. We can pass it on."

Promoting a green economy

 

The 8th annual Green Festival drew more than 40,000 visitors to see organic, sustainable and planet-friendly products from more than 400 vendors¹¹

Each year, Global Exchange co-sponsors a green festival in San Francisco. Danaher, the event's executive producer, calls it a match-making experience where certified¹² green entrepreneurs¹³ and vendors, non-profit organizations, speakers, and activists come together to promote a green economy, which Danaher notes is already growing at a rapid rate.
 
"[It's] the concept of, 'Let's do business in a way where we get our salary but we don't [take advantage of] other people and we don't [harm] Mother Nature.' And that that triple-bottom line model of social justice, environmental restoration - not just conservation because we've done so much damage - and then financial sustainability, all linked so that they're strengthening each other," Danaher says.  He adds those three principles can co-exist. "They shouldn't be like reservoirs where you have to take away from one to do the other. They should strengthen each other and once you get that business model right, which these people at this show are doing, you're in a different rule book then, that's a tipping point, you're into a different system," he says.

Reality tours connect people around the world

The founders¹⁴ of Global Exchange also believe in the value of experiencing something first-hand to gain a better understanding of the problems facing other cultures. So, for 20 years, Global Exchange has been taking Americans on reality tours to more than 30 countries, including Vietnam, Cuba, Venezuela, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Kenya.

 

Kirsten Moller talks with a visitor to this year's Green Festival

Kirsten Moller says that participants have a chance to meet with local activists, as well as learn about the country's history, culture and politics. "We send people on these 10 day trips to other countries where they make that heart connection to another people which will make them lifelong activists. Once you've been on a trip and you've fallen in love with a family in another country, you're not going to let our government bomb that country."
 
Global Exchange's reality tours, fair trade stores, and green festivals pay for themselves, but the non-profit group also brings in more than $1 million each year from fund-raising. The money helps it conduct its many social action campaigns, from slowing climate change and opposing wars, to fighting inhumane labor conditions and building a green economy.

Kirsten Moller says the activists in Global Exchange's movement do not harbor any illusions¹⁵ that success will be easy.

"We're not going to win economic justice, peace, social justice in our lifetimes. But we have to [try]. If we're not doing it, it definitely won't happen. You have to keep doing it and you have to make it fun and accessible for people or people will just give up."
 

1 ambitious   

adj.有雄心的，劲头十足的，有野心的

参考例句：

• One may be poor but never ceases to be ambitious.人穷志不穷。
• He is an ambitious young man full of enthusiasm and vitality.他是个充满热情与活力的有远大抱负的青年。

2 executive   

adj.执行的，行政的；n.执行者，行政官，经理

参考例句：

• A good executive usually gets on well with people.一个好的高级管理人员通常与人们相处得很好。
• He is a man of great executive ability.他是个具有极高管理能力的人。

3 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

4 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

6 kits   

衣物和装备( kit的名词复数 )； 成套用品； 配套元件

参考例句：

• Keep your kits closed and locked when not in use. 不用的话把你的装备都锁好放好。
• Gifts Articles, Toy and Games, Wooden Toys, Puzzles, Craft Kits. 采购产品礼品，玩具和游戏，木制的玩具，智力玩具，手艺装备。

7 engagement   

n.订婚，婚约，约定，约会

参考例句：

• I can't see you on Monday because I have a previous engagement.星期一我不能见你，因为我有约在先。
• It was my mother's very own engagement ring.这正是我母亲自己的订婚戒指。

8 injustice   

n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利

参考例句：

• They complained of injustice in the way they had been treated.他们抱怨受到不公平的对待。
• All his life he has been struggling against injustice.他一生都在与不公正现象作斗争。

9 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

10 outlet   

n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄

参考例句：

• The outlet of a water pipe was blocked.水管的出水口堵住了。
• Running is a good outlet for his energy.跑步是他发泄过剩精力的好方法。

11 vendors   

n.摊贩( vendor的名词复数 )；小贩；（房屋等的）卖主；卖方

参考例句：

• The vendors were gazundered at the last minute. 卖主在最后一刻被要求降低房价。
• At the same time, interface standards also benefIt'software vendors. 同时，界面标准也有利于软件开发商。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

12 certified   

a.经证明合格的；具有证明文件的

参考例句：

• Doctors certified him as insane. 医生证明他精神失常。
• The planes were certified airworthy. 飞机被证明适于航行。

13 entrepreneurs   

企业家( entrepreneur的名词复数 )； 主办人

参考例句：

• He is one of the entrepreneurs of the concert. 他是这场音乐会的主办人之一。
• Entrepreneurs are free to develop their businesses. 企业家们可以任意发展自己的企业。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

14 founders   

n.创始人( founder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He was one of the founders of the university's medical faculty. 他是该大学医学院的创建人之一。 来自辞典例句
• The founders of our religion made this a cornerstone of morality. 我们宗教的创始人把这看作是道德的基石。 来自辞典例句

15 illusions   

错觉( illusion的名词复数 )； 幻想； 错误观念； 假象

参考例句：

• Don't part with your illusions. 不要放弃你的幻想。 来自每日一句
• I have no illusions about his ability. 我对他的能力不抱任何幻想。