2019 Sustainable Gastronomy Day

 

 

 

 

2019 Sustainable Gastronomy Day

 

Your Excellency Ambassador Gustavo Meza Cuadra,

Excellencies,

Minister Luis Ugarelli,

Distinguished Guests,

 

I am delighted to join Ambassador Gustavo Meza-Cuadra and all of you to celebrate the Sustainable Gastronomy Day.

I would like to express my appreciation to the Government of Peru for its leadership in championing the UN resolution on Sustainable Gastronomy Day in 2016 and for its world-famous, innovative culinary practices that maximize influences from various cultures, ethnicities and ecosystems.

The UN resolution affirms the need to focus the world's attention on the role that sustainable gastronomy can play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including by promoting agricultural development, food security, nutrition, sustainable food production and the conservation of biodiversity.

The UN's Sustainable Gastronomy Day recognise the intrinsic link between societal, environmental and economic pillar of a country. For FAO this day is important because it underlines the role of food production, biodiversity and the conservation of biodiversity.

In this context, let me recognize the critical role of chefs. They are efficient in linking food to territory and local culture, championing food waste reduction, and sourcing food from local family farmers.

This makes their role instrumental in the fight against malnutrition and certainly influential agents of sustainable development.

FAO has an extensive experience in collaborating globally with several renowned chefs in advocating the World Food Day, the International Year of Quinoa in 2013 and the International Year of Pulses in 2016 and World Pulses Day in February of this year. Those observances have been instrumental in highlighting the importance of millions of family farmers and their contributions, as custodians of our natural resources to our day food security and healthy lives.

I see the observance of the Sustainable Gastronomy Day as a valuable reminder to all of us to reaffirm the value and aspirations of achieving sustainable development by 2030.

Thank you for your attention.