The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (fao.org) is planning a few key events this fall:
- World Food Day: October 16
- The State of Food Insecurity in the World report (October)
- World Summit on Food Security: Rome, Nov. 16–18
We recognize World Food Day on October 16, an event “designed to increase awareness, understanding, and informed year-around action to alleviate hunger.” (worldfooddayusa.org). This event is observed on this date in recognition of the founding of the FAO in 1945. It is an opportunity to bring hunger to the forefront as we learn and educate others about hunger in the context of today’s world and economy.
Also this month the FAO is to publish an updated “The State of Food Insecurity in the World” report based on its June predictions that the number of people who are hungry in the world has risen by 105 million in 2009, bringing the total to 1.02 billion malnourished people in the world.
Finally, in Rome, Nov. 16–18, FAO will host the World Summit on Food Security to determine a strategy to address the increased state of global food insecurity. FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf proposed the summit, noting “The silent hunger crisis—affecting one sixth of all of humanity—poses a serious risk for world peace and security. We urgently need to forge a broad consensus on the total and rapid eradication of hunger in the world.”
-Aaron Cooper is Writer-Editor for ELCA World Hunger
