The Body Shop founder, Dame Anita Roddick, will be in Glasgow this coming Wednesday where she will give a talk at the University of Glasgow as part of the Global Citizenship Project lecture series.

Dame Anita Roddick will speak on 'Re-inventing Power ﾖ People Take Control', where she will outline the importance of ethical trade for building community and challenging the assumptions behind today's market driven global economy. Anita's company, The Body Shop, has led the way in developing models of fair trade and her initiatives support communities from Glasgow to Ghana. (The Company's only manufacturing plant, Soapworks, is in Glasgow.)

The Global Citizenship Project works with academics and trainee-teachers to advance the concept that we are citizens not just of Scotland or the UK or Europe, but also of the whole world. By experiencing the principles of global citizenship first hand it is hoped that students will be better prepared to enter teaching and prepare young people for the challenges of the 21st century.

Speaking before the event Dame Anita Roddick said:

"Business needs to respect and support communities and families, and to safeguard the environment. We need business that encourages countries to educate their children, heal their sick, value the work of women and respect human rights. In short, to reclaim what was once an essential part of being human. We need to measure progress by human development not gross national product."

Dr Ben Young, Global Citizenship Project Co-ordinator added:

"Products we buy in shops in Scotland are often produced in countries on the other side of the world. As the consumers of these products it is our responsibility to think about the people producing them. Through The Body Shop Dame Anita Roddick has first hand experience of making sure producers as well as consumers get a fair deal."

Dame Anita Roddick's talk will take place in The Bute Hall at the University of Glasgow at 5.30pm on Wednesday 4 February 2004. All are welcome to attend. You can book a seat by emailing Jacqueline.doogan@educ.gla.ac.uk

The Global Citizenship Project is run jointly by the University of Glasgow and the IDEAS network, with support from Oxfam and funding from the Department of International Development.

Media Relations Office (media@gla.ac.uk)

For more information please contact Malcolm Fleming, Media Manager for Oxfam in Scotland Tel: 0771 891 8346 or Kate Groves at the University of Glasgow Tel: 0141 330 3683.

Press reporters, photographers and broadcasters are welcome to attend this event. Please contact Kate Groves.

First published: 3 February 2004