World Bee Day 2024 Opening Remarks

Excellences,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

What a pleasure to celebrate World Bee Day here, at the Italian Presidential Estate, with you. It’s so inspiring to see so many young faces, especially as this year’s theme “Bee engaged with youth” is dedicated to our young friends.

Bees have long been a symbol of productivity and well organized teamwork. Most importantly, bees play a critical role in our ecosystems.

About 75% of the world’s food crops rely on pollination as it increases the quantity, quality and diversity of our foods.

That is why it is so crucial to make sure that we value and protect bees and other pollinators.

For producers, this means replacing harmful agricultural practices with pollinator-friendly practices.

For beekeepers, it means promoting the sustainable use of locally-adapted bees and plants.

For governments and decision-makers, it means putting policies in place that ensure harmony between agriculture, environment and bees.

For consumers, it means being careful and informed when choosing your products, and checking where and how your food was produced, and how much we should appreciate the real cost of food by producers, especially by small producers.

Dear Friends,

At FAO we work with many local, national and global partners to generate and gather information around the world on the status of bees and pollinators to see how they contribute to ecosystems and agrifood systems.

Today you will hear about our many  activities with  APIMONDIA – the International Federation of Beekeepers’ Association.

And we’ve prepared a special journey for you to learn about bees and pollinators, how to help preserve them, and about both traditional and high-tech beekeeping.

To the young people here I want to say: you are the future, the promise, the innovative changers. I truly hope you will be inspired by this special celebration and be starting your honey life. 

Let us all work together to “bee engaged with youth” so we can move towards the Four Betters – better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind.

Happy World Bee Day!

Thank you.