VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/Asia News Network): International Coffee Day is back and bigger than ever. The day is an opportunity to celebrate our love for coffee while also recognising the hard work and sacrifices made by those who make it possible.
This year’s theme focuses on raising awareness and ‘Promoting the right to a safe and healthy working environment in the coffee supply chain’.
International Coffee Day is a global event that brings together coffee enthusiasts, businesses, and consumers to celebrate the love for coffee and raise awareness about its impact on sustainable development.
In Laos, the sixth edition of International Coffee Day will be marked in Vientiane on Sept 29-30 and Oct 1, and in Luang Prabang from Oct 27-29.
International Coffee Day 2023 in Laos aims to build and stimulate the Lao coffee enthusiasts’ community, represent the entire Lao coffee supply chain, promote green growth through coffee, facilitate interprofessional dialogue and solutions, and attract the attention of tourists.
These events are supported by the Project to Reinforce the Commercial Capacity of Coffee (PRCC) in Northern Laos, a partnership between the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and Agence Française de Développement (AFD), aimed at strengthening the coffee industry and promoting sustainable development principles in Laos.
The European Union (EU) has also teamed up with AFD to sponsor the International Coffee Day, based on its growing support to the Lao coffee sector, focusing on the entire coffee value chain, from production to consumption and exports, with the aim of improving the livelihoods of coffee farmers and labourers, and preserving the environment.
Events organised in Laos to mark International Coffee Day 2023 are supported by various other development partners and the public and private sectors.
The Vientiane Center shopping mall and the Luang Prabang Chamber of Commerce and Industry are the hosts for the two coffee events.
Development partners supporting these events include the International Trade Centre, the UK Trade Partnerships Programme, United States Department of Agriculture, Winrock International, the International Labour Organisation, Oxfam, and CARE International in Laos.
The Lao Coffee Association, Lao Coffee Culture (a network of people who love coffee), the Bolaven Plateau Coffee Producers Cooperative, and Coffee-Fix, among others, have also provided valuable support.
Attendees can look forward to exploring the rich flavours and aromas of high quality Lao coffee, gaining invaluable knowledge through interactive sessions, participating in stimulating panel discussions, and building meaningful connections within the coffee community.
