LOC18:13
15:13 GMT
KUWAIT, Oct 16 (KUNA) -- The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) held, at its headquarters in Rome, celebrations on the 80th anniversary of its establishment with the theme "Hand in hand for better food and a better future!"
The theme calls for global solidarity to build a more sustainable and equitable food system for all people.
The celebrations, part of the World Food Forum (WFF), saw the participation of the organization's 194 members in addition to figures such as Pope Leo XIV, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, FAO Goodwill Ambassador, Jordan's Princess Basma bint Ali, and others.
Kuwaiti Ambassador to Italy Nasser Al-Qahtani and Kuwait's Permanent Representative at FAO Yousef Juhail also took part in the celebrations.
Pope Leo XIV delivered a speech during the celebrations calling for avoiding the use of hunger as a weapon during conflicts, saying that such action was a violation of international humanitarian law.
He said that governments and global institutions must intensify efforts to rid the world of hunger, saying that this was a moral and political imperative.
For his part, FAO's Secretary General Qu Dongyu revealed that some 637 million people suffer from severe malnutrition, adding that billions could not sustain the cost of food and agricultural systems -- a matter that required innovation on part of all humanity.
He announced during the occasion the establishment of a museum and a special network for FAO to celebrate the organization's heritage in supporting agriculture and food systems. (end)
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