World Food Day around the world
How people took part in this year’s annual day
Above: Ecuador was one of over 100 countries that celebrated World Food Day 2017. The Fair "Ecuador Sano Inclusivo y Diverso" featured art, music, dancing, cooking, sport and children's activities. ©FAO
05/12/2017
This year, over 200 events in more than 100 countries around the world marked World Food Day, from Canada to South Africa, and Japan to Mexico.
The theme "Change the future of migration. Invest in food security and rural development" underlined the need to address root causes of migration such as poverty, food insecurity, inequality, unemployment and a lack of social safety nets. It promoted rural development as a valid solution to the migration challenge with the potential to generate decent employment opportunities, bolster the resilience of rural communities and curb conflict.
Left: 16 October 2017, Rome, Italy - FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva with His Holiness Pope Francis on World Food Day at FAO Headquarters. ©FAO/Giuseppe Carotenuto. Right: The World Food Day theme "Change the future of migration. Invest in foo
Pope Francis called on governments around the world to collaborate to make migration a safer and voluntary choice at the global ceremony held at FAO's headquarters in Rome. The Holy Father was joined by the Group of Seven (G7) Ministers of Agriculture, whose presence was testament to the important links between food security, rural development and migration.
Inspired by the World Food Day Activity Book, a young girl in Peru starts a drawing for the World Food Day Poster Contest. Thousands of 5-19 year olds from over 100 countries participate in the contest each year. ©FAO
In Syria, amid burned fields and not far from the rubble of destroyed buildings, the Minister of Agriculture and the FAO Representative joined hands with local farmers to plant pear and apple trees, marking the resumption of food production activities despite social and economic disruption.
Nobel Prize laureates Betty Williams and Tawakkol Karma discussed migration and explored the strong link between peace and food security at the Pathways to peace conference in Bogota organized by FAO and the Colombian government.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, farming tools and vegetable seeds were distributed by FAO and the government to internally displaced people forced out of their homes by armed conflict.
In the Philippines, representatives of the Department of Agriculture and its attached agencies lit candles in a pledge to end hunger and malnutrition, strengthen cooperation and make agriculture more productive and sustainable.
Elsewhere, people gathered at a wide range of events such as marathons, marches, exhibitions, concerts, contests, markets, roundtables, and public lectures.
Related links
Cities around the world added their voices to the global call for action on migration and Sustainable Development Goal 2 - Zero Hunger. Geneva, Milan, Mexico City, Jakarta, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, London, Madrid and Paris promoted World Food Day messages on public transport and key locations in the city centre. In Valencia, mayors and representatives of more than 150 cities marked World Food Day at the third annual meeting of the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, the first international protocol by cities aimed at combating hunger and food waste and improving nutrition.
Together with some 200 other celebrations around the world, these events launched a call for action to make migration a choice and to achieve Zero Hunger.
Next year, FAO will continue to advocate for solutions that make migration safe, humane, orderly and regular as co-chair of the Global Migration Group (GMG), composed of 22 UN agencies and the World Bank.
Find out more about World Food Day or write to us.