Franciso van der Hoff Boersma ended his earthly journey this 13th February and what a journey it was. He was proud to call himself a “soixante huiteur”, a student radical in Holland. He was a farm boy who earned 3 doctorates in theology, economics and development. He learned English in a matter of months to teach at the University of Ottawa but when Allende was elected in Chile he decided his true vocation was as a “worker priest”. He went to work in the mines of Chile until 9/11/73 when the U.S. orchestrated a coup. Frans was warned that he was on the hit list of Pinochet and fled to Mexico City. Still feeling “hunted”, he asked Bishop Arturo of Oaxaca if there was work he could do in rural Oaxaca and the Bishop suggested he could assist the desperately poor peasant coffee farmers - the beginning of the amazing development of Fair Trade. He died yesterday in Oaxaca deeply loved and admired by so many locally and globally. He was precious - his wisdom, his humour and his kindness - and I am so thankful to have had him as a friend in my life.
Carlos Murillo. My respect and appreciation to Frans and his huge caring heart. No doubt small coffee farmers around the world owe a debt of gratitude to Frans. Rest in peace.
Nico Roozen. Losing a good friend is losing a piece of yourself. We met for the first time in May 1985. During my previous visit to Mexico, I had missed him. But the stories about this striking Dutch priest went around. He was at Carrefour in France to sell Uciri organic coffee. Months later, we spoke in the Netherlands. He believed in shortening the chain and in better prices for the farmer. An intensive collaboration was an obvious choice. The idea of a fair trade label was born because, as a third world retailer, I knew that only the shelf in the supermarket would bring relevance. The rest is history. A friendship was born and proved resistant to discussions about new choices that presented themselves later. Without Frans, Solidaridad would not have become what it is today. A learning experience of change.
Anita Sheth •Compliance Director, SBTi (CDP)Compliance Director, SBTi (CDP)
I am deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Francisco van der Hoff Boersma, one of the key originators of Fairtrade, whom I had the good fortune to meet and spend time with in Mexico. He taught me the importance and value of having the opinions of impacted people influence the highest levels of #trade #policy decisions, especially when it comes to the #food we consume.
Thank you for the learnings, which inspired me everyday to do the work I did at Fairtrade. You did make the world a fairer place. Namaste.
https://lnkd.in/dJJWSd9d
Ruud Lambregts Independent International Affairs advisor. Former programme manager, Oxfam Novid, Latin America.
Thank you Nico, I have taken your joint book out of the closet again. How important French has been for Fairtrade! Good to read that your friendship has helped to overcome the later points of contention in the end....
Monique van de Vijven Innovation Manager Health at Solaridad Network, Utrecht University, Netherland.
Many were allowed to stand on his strong shoulders, including me. Big thanks and admiration Frans, for your enormous efforts for a better world, and the hope and inspiration you have given to many through your faith. A veritable and indispensable global movement for better has emerged from it.
Van der Molen Environmental Internet Services. Nacional Sustainability Congres (NCS)
Frans is also included in the timeline "History of CSR in the Netherlands" https://www.duurzaam-
Fair Trade Netherlands (Maxhavelaar)
FairTrade Netherlands ( Maxhavelaar)
https://www.
Yesterday we received the sad news that Frans van der Hoff passed away on February 13th. Together with Nico Roozen, Frans was one of the founders of the Max Havelaar quality mark for fair trade coffee, which we now know as Fairtrade.
Frans was a special person in many ways. He worked from a strong passion and personal mission to fight poverty. He left behind an important legacy: Fairtrade. French will continue to be an important inspiration for many to make the Fairtrade mission a success.
Our thoughts and support go out to Frans' family and friends and to the farming community of Uciri.
Maikel Arts, Asawa Coffee, Netherlands
What sad news.
Frans was an inspiration, and above all a wonderful person!
I think back to the times I was able to meet him at the coffee roastery in Gemert, to the conversations that were always full of love, wisdom and positivity.
Thank you Frans, rest in peace.
CLAC Comercio Justo
Como nacio commercio Justo, entrevosita con Padre Frans van der Hoff
CLAC Comercio Justo
CLAC recuerda el legado del padre Frans Van der Hoff, pionero del Comercio Justo - leer más:
Fair International
It is with deep sadness that we communicate the passing of Father Frans van der Hoff. His lifelong commitment to creating a world where fairness is at the core is to be cherished and honoured.
In 1988, in collaboration with Nico Roozen and the developmental agency Solidaridad, he established Max Havelaar, the precursor of Fairtrade.
With determination and commitment to social justice he planted the seeds for the movement we see today. We will continue to carry his legacy and build a world that respects people and planet -today and always.
My respect and admiration for Frans. It was an honor to have shared and learned from him in my first steps for Fair Trade. Smallholder coffee farmers around the world are grateful!!
Carlos Murillo. My respect and admiration for Frans. It was an honor to have shared and learned from him in my first steps for Fair Trade. Smallholder coffee farmers around the world are grateful!!
Jos Harmsen, International Fairtrade expert. What a sad news that Frans passed away. For me he was (and still is) a source of inspiration, during the many years I worked with Fairtrade ánd in my daily life. He unconditionally stood up for the weakest in the product chain, for small coffee farmers. He did not consider poverty to be something inferior and promoted an economy of 'decent poverty'. That vision, his way of thinking and acting, always starting from the situation of small farmers, has impressed me a lot. I have kept following him during all his years among the coffee farmers of the first Fairtrade cooperative UCIRI in Mexico. I will miss our exchanges by e-mail and the conversations when he was in the Netherlands. But his inspiration survives.
Bart Pauwels, Agronomist. Expert in Organic certificated Tropical Agricultural Production. I had the opportunity to meet Frans in a couple of events in Europe focussing on Fairtrade and organic certified agricultural. His work in Mexico and the joint initiative with Nico/Solidaridad resulting in the creation and establishment of the first MH foundation was the main source of inspiration when in 1990 I started working with a group of small coffee farmers in the Tropical Andes of Venezuela and that resulted in the formation of a cooperative with first FT/Organic exports in 1994. This then led to 20 years of FT work and travel all over LA and part of Afrika . So the story as described in the book by Frans and Nico ( la Aventura del Comercio Justo) has been partly been my own... Long will he remembered!
Marly Theunnise- I had the big honor and pleasure of meeting Frans during my several days visit to UCIRI some 20 years ago. Unforgettable!
Jos van Hal, Independent Consultant SDGs and Member of Competences for SD(Gs) at Consortium SDG Competent. Respects