Celebrating World Food Day

"Expo 2020 Dubai" calls for a "future without hunger"

Expo 2020 Dubai, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, celebrates World Food Day, corresponding to 16 October, to support collective action to eradicate hunger and urge several sectors to participate.

Reem Al Hashimi, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “As the first international event to be held since the outbreak of the pandemic, (Expo 2020) represents a crucial platform to bring together the brightest minds, to enable action and inspire solutions to challenges that affect us all.

On World Food Day, the international event calls for global solidarity to rethink and reshape our food security and food systems in ways that ensure healthy lives, and preserve people and planet Earth for generations to come.”

Whether by displaying national champions in sustainable food or agricultural practices, hosting talks on transformative food policies, or launching awareness campaigns, Expo 2020's World Food Day events are a call to action to restore balance in our systems. food, and mobilizing efforts to achieve a world free of hunger.

Expo 2020 Dubai invited visitors to join this gathering to raise awareness by attending the main event, which is organized by the Human and Planet Program of Expo 2020, which will be held in the Opportunities Pavilion.

The list of prominent speakers includes Minister of State for Food and Water Security, Maryam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Al Muhairi, Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for the 2021 Food Systems Summit, Dr. Agnes Kalibata, and Chief Economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Maximo Torero Collin.

Maryam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Al Muhairi said: “We are proud of our partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and (Expo 2020 Dubai) to organize the celebration of World Food Day 2021, which represents an important opportunity to raise public awareness of the importance of preserving food and working to achieve its security and sustainability. To communicate with the community, and invite it to participate in efforts to enhance food security, by adopting sustainable production and consumption practices.”

The Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Regional Representative for the Near East and North Africa, Abdel Hakim El Waer, said: “The 2021 World Food Day is celebrated for the second time during the (Covid-19) pandemic, the repercussions of which have disrupted agricultural and food systems, and led to an unexpected economic recession. This has resulted in a significant loss of livelihoods and income sources, and increased food insecurity and inequality.”

He continued, "According to the latest estimates, more than 51 million people in the Near East and North Africa region suffer from hunger."

Al-Waer stressed that "the (FAO) highlight, during the World Food Day, which is taking place at (Expo 2020), the need to find innovative ways and models for international development cooperation, that go beyond the transactional approach, to achieve the transition to more efficient, comprehensive and resilient agricultural food systems, and achieve Sustainable food farming systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, a better life, and leaving no one behind.”