Once again StreetNet International celebrates International Street Vendors Day and I am happy to share with you our unity towards realising the rights of all members in our sector.

Last year it was a great celebration for all affiliates, most of whom were very creative and enthusiastic. We had the funds to supports posters, leaflets and t-shirts. However, this year although we cannot afford this, I encourage you to celebrate this day with different activities, as you did last year.

From Lesotho to New York, Malawi, India, Argentina, Guinee, Ghana, Liberia, Kenya, Tanzania, Chile Bangladesh, Madrid, Monrovia and many more we are united celebrating this meaningful day. On 14^th November 2012, StreetNet affiliates and partners around the globe celebrated our 1^st International Street Vendors Day.

This was the first time that street vendors’ organisations had carried out a global action to make visible the needs and demands and to make everybody in our different societies recognise our value as a creative and dynamic force at local, national and international levels. We continue fighting with dignity searching for social justice and respect of our rights, as humans and as workers.

Last year we called for inclusion in the social security of our countries, this year we have to express our concerns and needs to be represented in the future discussions of ILO 2014 on formalisation of informal economy.

We can still organise marches throughout our countries carrying banners manifesting our main demands. At these Marches and public meetings, we can also invite the newspapers and other media to mark our 1^st Anniversary!

The celebration has given renew visibility and voice to street vendors and strengthened national alliances of street vendors’ organisation, that worked together to organise the activities. It has also strengthened their links with the formal trade union movement and other human rights’ organisations. The celebration of our first anniversary will build up the organisations’ legitimacy and lobbying capacity as national and local authorities realize they have international support.

StreetNet is all of us, all affiliates worldwide, and this day marks another year of our existence in this international network that has to really represent our perspectives as street and market vendors.

I wish all of you a great celebration day!