2020 World Food Day Highlights
The 2020 World Food Day marked 75 years of FAO’s work to defeat global hunger and highlighted the Organization’s deep roots in North America. FAO was conceived in Hot Springs, Virginia in 1943, when 44 governments gathered and agreed on the need for a permanent organization in the field of food, agriculture and nutrition. On 16 October 1945, FAO was created as a specialized agency of the newly established United Nations at the renowned Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City, Canada, and its first headquarters was in Washington, D.C before moving to Rome in 1951.
World Food Day activities aimed to raise awareness of the importance and relevance of FAO and its mandate and to celebrate food heroes, who under difficult circumstances continue to provide food to their communities and beyond, helping to grow, nourish and sustain our world. Over 40 events were registered across the U.S. and Canada on the World Food Day events portal.
On the occasion of World Food Day, Canadian Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Marie-Claude Bibeau and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued statements outlining their vision for FAO on its 75th anniversary. In addition, the Honorable Karina Gould, Canadian Minister of International Development also issued a statement.
In the U.S., Senators and Congressional Representatives reaffirmed their commitment to ending global hunger and malnutrition, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. In support of World Food Day, a resolution was passed in the U.S.Senate (S.Res.365) and introduced in the House (H.Res.632) last year.
To kick-off activities in North America, the World Food Day Commemorative Ceremony was held on 14 October. The ceremony featured the inaugural FAO North America World Food Day Lecture by Homi Kharas, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution.“Sustainable agriculture is a key component of building back better. It's that sustainability portion of agriculture that needs to be emphasized in today's world where everyone is looking for a new model that links climate inclusivity and economic prosperity,” emphasized Kharas.
The Ceremony announced the winners of the 2020 World Food Day Poetry Contest. Brian James of Manassas, Virginia, read out his winning poem “Testimony.” Anna Mulé, Executive Director of Slow Food USA and Denisa Livingston, International Indigenous Councilor of the Global North Slow Food International, presented “Recipes for Turtle Island,” a collection of 14 recipes from renowned Indigenous Chefs from across North America that was made in collaboration with FAO North America. The session highlighted the power of storytelling in reference to the 2020 World Food Day Storytelling Award by former CNN correspondent Frank Sesno, and gave a voice to food heroes Naima Penniman from the USA and Lori Nikkel of Canada.
On 15 October, FAO North America and the Alliance to End Hunger organized a high-level side event at the World Food Prize focused on actions needed to promote more resilient and sustainable food systems for improved global food security and nutrition, which attracted over 300 attendees.
Dr. Rattan Lal, 2020 World Food Prize Laureate and Distinguished University Professor of Soil Science and founding Director of the Carbon Management & Sequestration Center at the Ohio State University, delivered a keynote address. Featured speakers included Barbara Stinson, President, the World Food Prize Foundation; Lawrence Haddad, CEO of GAIN and 2018 World Food Prize Laureate; Martin Frick, Deputy to the Special Envoy for the UN Food Systems Summit 2021; Máximo Torero, FAO’s Chief Economist; Rev. David Beckmann, Former President of Bread for the World Institute and 2010 World Food Prize Laureate; and Vimlendra Sharan, Director, FAO’s Liaison Office for North America. The event was moderated by Rob Bertram, Chief Scientist in USAID’s Bureau for Resilience and Food Security.
On 16 October, Vimlendra Sharan, Director of FAO North America, participated in the 6th Smithsonian Food History Weekend. The Deep Dish Dialogue themed “Rebuilding the Food System” also featured Chef Jose Andres, Leah Penniman of Soul Fire Farm, Washington Post Reporter Laura Reiley, and Food Tank’s President and recipient of the Julia Child Award Danielle Nierenberg.
On World Food Day, FAO North America and Food Tank organized the 2020 World Food Day #WFDChat to discuss how we can build back better and ensure access to healthy diets for all. The hour long Twitter chat featured 8 questions on how consumers, policymakers, and businesses can build a better food system. Topics included COVID-19’s impact on the food system, the relationship between a healthy diet and biodiversity, and the role of government in supporting farmers and farmworkers. The chat, which also featured live commentary from Vimlendra Sharan, Director of FAO North America, Danielle Nierenberg, President at Food Tank, and Rebecca Middleton, Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer at WFP USA, reached over 12 million accounts.
On 22 October, the Canadian government hosted a virtual commemoration of FAO 75th Anniversary ahead of the 6th Informal North American Regional Consultation (INARC). The session featured remarks from Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; Sonny Perdue, United States Secretary of Agriculture; Qu Dongyu, Director General of FAO; and Nadine Girault, Minister of International Relations, Ministry of International Relations and La Francophonie, Québec. The session was moderated by Chris Forbes, Canadian Deputy Minister of Agriculture, AAFC.
We would love to hear about your World Food Day activity! Register your event on the website or tell us more by emailing [email protected].