5 March 2010
City raises Fairtrade toast from the Cape to welcome South
Africa’s President Zuma to UK
Guests of Lord Mayor Nick Anstee and the City of London toasted
South African President Zuma with Fairtrade Cape wines at the state
banquet held in the President’s honour this week in the City.
Fairtrade wines from vineyards in the Western Cape occupied
pride of place during the glittering evening when 700+ dignitaries
from the City and business worlds welcomed the President, Mrs Zuma
and his delegation to the Guildhall in EC2 as part of his state
visit to the UK.
The Thandi wines, here pictured being checked just before the
dinner by City Guildhall events coordinator Angela Turnbull, became
the world’s first Fairtrade wines in 2004. Thandi is a Xhosa word
meaning ‘nurturing love’ and 250 farmworker families are involved
with Thandi, owning 55% of the company based in the famed Elgin
valley south east of Cape Town.
Lord Mayor Anstee, who later this month leads a business
delegation to South Africa, said: ‘South Africa and the UK
are partners in each other’s future prosperity and the President
was touched to see we had one of South Africa’s best products,
produced in the fairest way, on the table here in Guildhall to
toast this fact.’
Ends
Notes for editors
Thandi wines:
www.thandi.com
City of London Corporation
The City of London is a world-leading international finance centres
and as head of the City of London Corporation, which provides
business and local government services to the City, the Lord Mayor
principal role is ambassador for all UK-based financial and
professional services. The Lord Mayor spends three months a year
leading business delegations overseas and also receives business
delegations and leaders to the City on behalf of the UK-based
financial services industry.
Press contact:
Greg Williams, 020 7332 1455; 07889 167 205