Media Advisory: World Food Week
This year's
World Food Week starting on 15 October takes place in a global context where conflict, climate extremes and an increase in obesity are reversing progress made in the fight against hunger and malnutrition. A series of events including
World Food Day on 16 October will explore the actions needed to put achieving Zero Hunger back on track. World Food Day is marked each year on 16 October to commemorate the founding of FAO in 1945.
A package of multimedia
feature stories depicting real people's actions towards Zero Hunger is available for media use, including accompanying photos and video, and a
brochure about the day is available.
Launch of the State of Food and Agriculture report 2018
Monday, 15 October at 13.00, Sheikh Zayed Centre, FAO
This year's edition explores how migration is linked to food security, agriculture and rural development. The report will be presented at a press conference with FAO Director-General
José Graziano da Silva and Assistant Director-General for Economic and Social Development
Kostas Stamoulis.
Opening of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS)
Monday, 15 October at 10.00, Plenary Hall, FAO
The CFS is the leading international platform for policy coherence and convergence on food security and nutrition. CFS sessions (15-19 October) include improving food systems and nutrition, and the Right to Food Guidelines. The opening ceremony will include speeches by FAO Director-General
José Graziano da Silva and the CFS Chair
Mario Arvelo. Accredited journalists can also attend over 50 side-events including the launch of the
World Livestock Report (17 October).
World Food Day
Tuesday, 16 October at 09.30, Plenary Hall, FAO
The theme for
World Food Day 2018 is
"Our actions are our future. A #ZeroHunger world by 2030 is possible", and events to mark the day are being held in over 130 countries. At the
global ceremony at FAO,
King Letsie III of Lesotho and
Queen Letizia of Spain, FAO Special Goodwill Ambassadors for Nutrition, will be the keynote speakers. Other speakers include FAO Director-General
José Graziano da Silva, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) President
Gilbert F. Houngbo and
World Food Programme Executive Director
David M. Beasley as well as messages from
Pope Francis and UN Secretary-General
António Guterres.
FAO is also hosting two high-level panels on World Food Day that focus on achieving Zero Hunger:
Presenting the challenges faced in achieving Zero Hunger 11:00-13:00, Plenary Hall
Speakers include
Neven Mimica, European Union Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development,
Josefa Sacko, African Union Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture and
Andrzej Duda, President of Poland and Chairperson of COP24.
Bringing people to the centre of solutions for the planet 15.00-17.00, Plenary Hall
Speakers include: Epsy Campbell Barr, Vice-President and Chancellor of Costa Rica, Nobel Peace Prize winners Leymah Roberta Gbowee and Alfredo Pérez Ezquivel, Jacqueline Pieters, Global Head of the Banking for Food Inspiration Center at Rabobank, and Chukki Nanjundaswamy from the Karnataka State Farmers' Association in India.
