Online Exclusive: World Neighbors
Just in time for the holidays, Oklahoma City-based World Neighbors
kicks off their eighth annual WorldFest international shopping market on Saturday,
October 29 at the historic Oklahoma City Farmers Market in downtown Oklahoma
City. This highly anticipated international shopping event will feature
thousands of gorgeous, fair trade products for sale including jewelry from
India, handbags from the Philippines, Pakistani scarves, Peruvian pottery, African
home décor, food items and much more. All the products at WorldFest come from
fair-trade sources, guaranteeing that artisans receive a fair wage for their
work.
“WorldFest truly is the must-attend shopping event of the
year, and World Neighbors is proud to host this extraordinary event each year,
knowing that our shoppers love the variety of unique product offered from
around the world,” said Erin Engelke, vice president marketing and
communications for World Neighbors. “It’s remarkable to think about the origin
of these items – of the woman sitting in her village in Burkina Faso hand
weaving a shawl or painting a bowl. People in many of these communities are
living on wages of less than one dollar a day; so, instead of purchasing an
item from the mall, it’s nice to buy something for your home or a friend that
shows you care about your neighbors across the globe.”
Money raised from WorldFest will support
the continuation and expansion of World Neighbors projects in more than 13
impoverished countries across the globe.
“Through education and training, World Neighbors helps
communities develop lasting solutions to their problems,” said Engelke. “Instead
of handouts, we provide the skills needed to face challenges such as hunger,
disease, poverty and environmental issues.”
WorldFest will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, October
29 at the historic Public Farmers Market located at 311 S. Klein in Oklahoma
City. Tickets may be purchased in advance at www.wn.org/events or day of at the event. Admission
is $7 for adults and free for children under the age of 12. For more
information about WorldFest, visit www.wn.org.
For
those interested in a more personal journey around the world, World Neighbors
will host A Journey Around the World
gala at the Public Farmers Market preceding WorldFest on Friday, October 28
with exclusive WorldFest shopping at 5 p.m., cocktail reception at 6 p.m. and
dinner and program at 7 p.m. The gala will take guests on a tour of the world, with
specific emphasis on the 13 countries where World Neighbors works, including
international cuisine and entertainment.
During
the gala, Ray and Pat Potts will be honored with the World Neighbors Namaste
award, recognizing them for their contributions to World Neighbors and for
representing the qualities of World Neighbors mission throughout the Oklahoma
community. For the second year, the World Neighbors & KFOR Dignity Award
will also be awarded to individuals and organizations from the Oklahoma City
community who work tirelessly to promote dignity in the lives of others. For more information about A Journey Around
the World or to purchase seats at $150 each, visit www.wn.org/gala
or call 405.418.0407.
Headquartered in Oklahoma
City, World Neighbors is an international development organization
striving to eliminate hunger, poverty and disease in the most deprived rural
villages in Asia, Africa and Latin America. World Neighbors invests in people and their
communities by training and inspiring them to create their own life-changing
solutions through programs that combine agriculture, literacy, water, health
and environmental protection. Since 1951, more than 25 million people in 45
countries have transformed their lives with the support of World Neighbors. For
more information, visit www.wn.org.
