World Food Day is October 16; Focus is "The Right to Food"

World Food Day is observed each year around the world on October 16, the day that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) was founded in 1945.  World Food Day serves to raise awareness on the problem of hunger and food insecurity and the opportunities for making progress.

The Right to Food is the theme for World Food Day 2007. Events will be taking place in countries throghout the world to mark this event, including a worldwide candlelight vigil at 6pm on October 22.  The World Food Day website contains additional information on this event as well as educational materials in multiple languages.

To learn more about World Food Day 2007 and the Right to Food:

• World Food Day 2007 (FAO)
• The Right to Food (FAO)
• United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food
• Achieving the Right to Food: The Human Rights Challenge of the Twenty-First Century (FAO)
• Voluntary Guidelines to Support the Progressive Realization of the Right to Adequate Food in the Context of National Food Security (FAO)

Comments

[Grace Warren]

To have almost a holiday to acknowledge the world hunger in all countries is remarkable. Having a day set aside for everyone to think about and do something to solve it or at least make it better every year. They also have a candellight service as well this is something that will help people all around the world to see the severe hunger worldwide. I believe this was a great way to bring it out to the people because some people don't know about the world hunger crisis to the extent and that it is such a great deal.

[Amanda Miller]

Although the issue of world hunger and how to make changes should be thought of everyday, it's great that there is a day designated to raise awareness of hunger all over the world. The more people are informed of how big of an issue this is the more people are going to be willing to help make a change. Hunger and food insecurity is a problem all over the world that affects so many individuals. Having a worldwide candlelight vigil is so great because although there are so many differences in this world the problem of hunger is something that connects us all and something everyone wants to see disappear.