World Food Day is a worldwide event designed to increase awareness1, understanding and information. It is a year around action to alleviate2 hunger. World Food Day is observed each October 16th in recognition of the founding of the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 1945. The first World Food Day was observed in 1981. With an estimated increase of 105 million hungry people in 2009, there are now about 1.02 billion malnourished3 people in the world, meaning that almost one sixth of all humanity is suffering from hunger. If you are reading this article, chances are you’ve never gone a day without eating. Have you ever imagined going a day without eating? Eating seems like a regular boring part of your day, right? And when you are hungry you can probably just go into the kitchen and grab4 something to eat, right? There are kids just like you right this moment going without food. And even when they do get food, it’s nothing like what you have access to. They’re lucky to get a little bread and rice, maybe some clean water.
Poverty forces people to make choices in countries where the annual income5 per person is 100 euros or less. How would your family live on 100 euros a year per person? What would you eat?
In 2002, after three days of discussion and debate during the Children’s Forum some 400 young people agreed on a statement to be presented to world leaders. Gabriela Azurduy Arrieta, 13, from Bolivia and Audrey Cheynut, 17, from Monaco were chosen by their peers6 to represent them. On May 8, 2002, they stood before the General Assembly and delivered their message. On this historic occasion, for the first time ever, children formally addressed the UN General Assembly on behalf of children, giving voice to their vision for a better world. This is their speech:
A WORLD FIT FOR US
- We are the world’s children.
- We are the victims of exploitation and abuse.
- We are street children.
- We are the children of war.
- We are the victims and orphans of HIV/AIDS.
- We are denied good quality education and heath care.
- We are victims of political, economic, cultural, religious and environmental discrimination.
- We are children whose voices are not being heard; it is time we are taken into account.
- We want a world fit for children because a world fit for us is a world fit for everyone.
So count yourself lucky that you do not go to bed hungry. You are in a position to help other kids who suffer from hunger. I beg you to get involved in World Food Day and there are many different opportunities that exist for you to get involved.
Getting started is simple:
Learn more. Hunger is a multi-faceted7 problem, so there are many different ways to get to solutions. Try something, anything. Share your experience and ideas with others. Write an essay on the issue of hunger and send it to your local newspaper. Encourage local school authorities to support special school activities or studies focusing on food and hunger themes.
If all the above suggestions seem too great for you then write a few lines what could be done. Share your opinion at an English lesson. First thing we all have to do is change our minds and attitudes towards the subject of hunger.
Paul Houston
VOCABULARY:
1 uvedomovanie si – uvědomování si; 2 /∂li:vieit/ zmierniť – zmírnit; 3 /maln∂rišt/ podvyživený; 4 chňapnúť – popadnout; 5 ročný príjem – roční příjem; 6 vrstovník – vrstevník; 7 mnohostranný