Rome/Italy - Sharing a common vision for a sustainable and prosperous world, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Luiss Libera Università Internazionale degli Studi Sociali Guido Carli (Luiss) have partnered to build capacities and engage youth in advancing agrifood systems, supporting FAO’s mission to create a world free of hunger, malnutrition, and poverty, as outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As part of this partnership, FAO and Luiss have collaborated to develop and implement a United Nations Model Programme (UNMP), which was featured during the 2024 World Food Forum, addressing the theme “the true cost of food security”.

Recognizing that youth are not just recipients or targets, but essential contributors and partners in developing innovative solutions for food and nutrition security, the FAO-Luiss United Nations Model Programme (UNMP), held at FAO headquarters on 17 October 2024, placed youth at the forefront of food security discussions. This event provided a platform for young people worldwide to connect, empowering them to understand and address key priorities and challenges while identifying innovative, actionable solutions for the sustainable transformation of agrifood systems.

The UNMP brought together a carefully curated group of youth from all regions of the world, each with early professional or academic backgrounds in agriculture, food or nutrition security. In preparation for the half-day simulation, which followed the FAO Council protocol, the student delegates engaged in 30 hours of virtual lectures covering key themes, including international environmental law, FAO’s history and programmatic work, concepts of agrifood systems, the role of youth in agrifood system transformation, the true cost of goods and unhealthy diets, environmental protection and sustainability, diplomacy, and public speaking.

FAO Deputy-Director General Maurizio Martina, who delivered the keynote speech in opening the UNMP, stated that “FAO is enthusiastic on this joint effort with Luiss to provide an inclusive space for youth to engage, learn and contribute to the food security and nutrition dialogue, which is a critical element to achieving the SDGs.”

Prof. Antonio Majocchi, Deputy Rector for Internationalization at Luiss University, remarked that, “The collaboration with FAO is particularly important for Luiss. The UNMP represents, better than any other activities we have collaborated on since 2018, the importance we both attach to two fundamental issues: helping youth to think critically and engage for a better world and working all together to achieve the SDGs where nobody is left behind. Luiss University – as part of academia – is fully committed to these two objectives. Our teaching and research methods inspire the critical thinking of the students and encourage them to be active in standing up for change.”

Kerinina S. Leaupepetele from Samoa, a student at the University of the South Pacific, shared her experience in the UNMP, stating, “Participating in the UNMP at the World Food Forum was a transformative experience for me as a Pacific youth. It highlighted how agrifood systems are shaped by a complex interplay of politics, culture, and diplomacy. Engaging with students from across the world, I saw firsthand how our diverse challenges are interconnected and how solutions must be born from collaboration and mutual respect."

In addition to their participation in the UNMP, the students attended several other events held at FAO headquarters during the World Food Forum, further enhancing their understanding of food and nutrition security issues. This multi-faceted approach—combining preparatory coursework, practical simulations, and direct engagement with diverse stakeholders in food and nutrition security - is invaluable for their career development and future roles in the sector.