Radiohead's Thom Yorke covered in chocolate in support of the campaign.

The Big Noise petition represents the voices of people around the world who are calling for key decision-makers to Make Trade Fair.

With your help, we want to make it the biggest petition ever and make leaders listen. The petition is growing every day and has gone past the five million mark.

Join the Big Noise >>

In Bangladesh Oxfam collected a staggering 250,000 names in just a few weeks. The launch also saw noise generated by over 200 people gathered at one of the busiest intersections in Dhaka to form a human chain with a 100 metre long Make Trade Fair banner. 

A petition of names gathered from the front line for the Big Noise.

Big Noise in Zambia

In April 2003, 10,000 people took to the streets of Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, to protest against unfair trade. 250 volunteers working on behalf of Oxfam and its partner ODCMT have collected 100,000 from around the country and a CD of voices from the region is being produced with the help of the Sekala brothers, popular musicians from Zambia.

A group of children from Askia Mohammed who sang: "NGUIR DIEUD AK DIAYE BOU TOLO" which means "Make Trade Fair" in Wolof.

Big Noise in Senegal

In Senegal, Oxfam International played a leading role at the Fiara (International Agricultural Fair) sponsoring 10 partner organisations from Senegal, Burkina Faso and the Gambia. A specially designed Big Noise booth recorded hundreds of voices in many different languages such as Pulaar, Sereer and Wolof.

The Big Noise has also been mobilised to great effect through its online e-mail campaigns - most famously in December 2002 when Nestlé were forced to climb down from their decision to claim $6m from the government of Ethiopia. Nearly 50,000 e-mails were sent by Big Noise members and after just a week Nestlé retreated.

Join the Big Noise >>