Seminar: "The world of chocolate

From Friday, October 18, 4:30 p.m. to Saturday, October 19, 2019 at 5:30 p.m., everything in the tropical greenhouse will revolve around cocoa and chocolate. We love chocolate, but not only happiness hormones are associated with the sweet pleasure: the problems of global trade and social conditions in countries of origin and production are also evident in cocoa.  Chocolate is a food and luxury food, a comfort for the soul on the one hand and a cause of social grievances on the other. The turnover of the chocolate industry worldwide is estimated at 100 billion US dollars per year. Germany is one of the most important consumer countries. We consume around 11 kilograms of cocoa and chocolate products per capita and year, including around 116 bars of chocolate. In the EU as a whole, per capita consumption is only about half that. Germany sources a large proportion of its cocoa beans from West Africa; Ivory Coast is the main producer of raw cocoa, apart from sugar and other ingredients, the most important basic ingredient for chocolate production. Cocoa has repeatedly made negative headlines in recent years: There are approximately 5.5 million cocoa farmers worldwide who produce raw cocoa for a lucrative market, but whose incomes are often below the international poverty line of $1.90 a day. The media repeatedly report on poor living and working conditions on the plantations and farms. Fair Trade has been calling on companies for years to finally take responsibility.

The seminar looks at the world of chocolate from many perspectives:
On Friday, there will be a colorful mix of old stories and current facts about cocoa. The journey goes from the Latin America of the Aztecs up to the today everyday tenderly melting temptation, spiced with bitter truths and current developments. The evening belongs to cocoa stories, delicious details and literary - enjoyed with tastings in the tropical greenhouse.
On Saturday morning, you will experience how chocolate is made and what path the cacao seeds take from the plantation to our cups or bars during the cacao trail: you will discover the fruits on the cacao trees in the tropical greenhouse, experience the processing, transport, negotiate the price on the stock exchange, roast and mortar the seeds for "your" personal sustainable chocolate enjoyment. It also addresses issues such as sustainable cocoa production, climate change and working conditions. We work with interactive methods that you can directly use yourself in educational work.
In the afternoon, Anke Kuß will explain INKOTA's "Make chocolate fair!" campaign. The campaign campaigns for better living conditions for cocoa farming families, demands an end to abusive child labor, and advocates for sustainable and diversified agriculture. The question is: How does chocolate become fair? And what role do Fair Trade, the chocolate industry and consumers play in this?
After so much theory and discussion, we will conclude with a chocolate tasting that will appeal to all our senses.

Time: The seminar starts on Friday, October 18, 2019 at 4:30 pm and ends on Saturday, October 19, 2019 at 5:30 pm.
Location: tropical greenhouse of the University of Kassel, Steinstraße 19, 37213 Witzenhausen.
Organizer: The seminar is a cooperation of Weltläden in Hessen e.V., Tropengewächshaus Witzenhausen/Universität Kassel and WeltGarten Witzenhausen.
Overnight stay: DEULA, Am Sande 20, 37213 Witzenhausen.
Speakers: Ines Fehrmann (University of Kassel), Anke Kuß (INKOTA netzwerk e.V.), Christine Feiler (Weltläden in Hessen e.V.).
Participation fee (including accommodation + meals): 50€/person in a double room, 60€/person in a single room. Without accommodation 40€. Reduction possible on request.

Registrations until 12.10.2019 to : feiler[at]weltlaeden-hessen[dot]de; Tel.: 06421/620127.