About Us
Global Gallery is a non-profit, volunteer operated, marketplace in Ohio that promotes Fair Trade and cultural awareness. Fair Trade products and handicrafts from around the world in our store help provide each artisan with a fair wage to support their families. The guidelines of Fair Trade dictate our pricing. In addition to educating our customers and community about the importance of Fair Trade and what a fair price makes for artisans in impoverished countries, we work on raising the awareness of cultural and human value of each item.
Global Gallery has been part of the community for over 11 years. In September of 1991 five area churches provided money and volunteer help to start the operations and run the store. Their wish was to help economically challenged individuals and cooperatives. Since then Global Gallery has always worked hard, overcome many difficulties and has developed considerably. Our goal is not only to help but to make a change in people's lives in impoverished countries, show them how they can improve their work and life conditions, educate them about Fair trade opportunities. On the other side we want to raise cultural awareness here in the US and let people know how they can contribute.
Global Gallery Global Gallery constantly searches ways and opportunities to spread the knowledge about Fair trade and cultural diversity. We started by working with churches but since then we have established contacts and partnerships with many others. Schools, universities, libraries, local businesses, cultural organizations and festivals co-work with us to promote Fair Trade and educate about different cultures and the value of human labor. UNICEF joined our store, adding even more ways to learn and help. We offer special events, workshops and presentations in store as well as in most of the local area (schools, university campuses, churches, festivals, etc).
We offer special meetings to explain how to cooperate with artisans and how to qualify for being a Fair trade organization. It is done to help both producers in developing regions of the world and stores and consumers in North America to establish beneficial, equitable and long-term partnerships. It can be done in many ways, such as:
-Paying a fair wage in a local context
-Offering employees opportunities for advancement
-Providing equal employment opportunities for all people
-Providing healthy and safe working conditions within the local context
-Engaging in environmentally sustainable practices
-Providing financial and technical assistance whenever possible
-Being open to public accountability
We have volunteers and interns from various countries (India, Africa, Europe, Russia, Latin America). They are considered a vital support for our organization. Their areas of work include sales, design, marketing, education and help in running in-store and off-site sales. Many of them stay in contact with Global Gallery and help their local artisans to qualify for Fair trade and receive all of its benefits. Volunteering for them is an exciting way to contribute to the community and become a part of bigger projects in the world.
We believe that we can make a change! The response we have gotten so far from our partners, customers, volunteers and interns helps us to move on and to search the new ways to promote Fair Trade and cultural diversity.
We are a member of Short North Business Association.
