by Karen Bledsoe

Created on: October 11, 2010

October 16 marks World Food Day, a world-wide event that was created to increase awareness about food insecurity around the world. According to the World Health Organization, about 25,000 people die each day from starvation or malnutrition, while millions more struggle daily with food insecurity. Even in the United States, the U.S.D.A. reports that over 49 million Americans - about 16% of the U.S. population - live in food insecure households. If citizens of the world's wealthiest nations go to bed each night not knowing where their next meal is coming from, imagine the struggles in developing nations.

HISTORY OF WORLD FOOD DAY

World Food Day is celebrated on October 16, the anniversary of the day on which the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations was established in 1945. During the organization's 20th General Conference in November of 1979, the Hungarian delegation suggested that the organization establish a day to increase awareness of food-related issues and to promote year-around activity to fight poverty and increase food security. In December of 1980, U.N. General Assembly ratified the FAO's decision, and World Food Day celebrations began the following year. Each year, celebrations revolve around a theme such as biodiversity, clean water, women's roles, and improved agriculture. Today, World Food Day is celebrated in over 150 nations around the globe.

GOALS OF WORLD FOOD DAY

Organizers of World Food Day events, whether at the community or national level, focus on promoting year-around action to help alleviate hunger. Events are meant to:

- Increase awareness of hunger and food insecurity in the community and around the world.

- Increase understanding of why people live with hunger and to promote compassion for people living with food insecurity issues.

- Increase information by promoting research on food security in the local community.

- Increase support through fund raisers for local and international projects.

- Increase advocacy for people living in poverty by seeking commitments from public officials to support social services.

- Increase networking through group projects and internet communication.

- Increase year-around action by starting sustainable project to address hunger.

- Increase impact by measuring and evaluating program outcomes year to year.

CELEBRATING WORLD FOOD DAY

World Food Day events take place around the world from September through December. In 2010, the day kicks off with an official celebration at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, and features an entire calendar of symposia and other events. A calendar of U.S. events includes "Take It to the Farmer: Reaching the World’s Smallholders" in DeMoines, Iowa and "Food, Culture, Justice – the Gumbo that Unites Us All" in New Orleans, Louisiana, as well as days of prayer. A calendar of worldwide events includes functions in Madrid, Liberia, Italy, and Albania. 

No matter where you live in the world, it's likely that there will be a World Food Day celebration to attend. Even if there isn't, you can still participate. Make a donation or volunteer time to your local food bank, write a World Food Day post to your blog, donate to world hunger relief organizations, write to your representatives, or educate yourself about hunger in your community and around the world. The issue affects everyone, from faraway nations to your own neighborhood. Get involved, get your friends involved, and you can help eradicate hunger.

For more information, or to join the fight against hunger, see the FAO World Food Day site or the World Food Day USA site.

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