WFP News Release (Updated)
United to end child hunger across the world
ROME - Thousands of children who know what it feels like to be hungry took to the streets yesterday, together with caring citizens, in a worldwide walk to raise awareness about child hunger. From Indonesia to Guatemala, more than 250,000 people in 70 countries participated in End Hunger: Walk the World, an event organised by the United Nations World Food Programme together with its largest corporate partners, TNT and Unilever.
The Walk took place as world leaders gathered in Rome for a High-Level Conference on World Food Security, 3-5 June 2008.
“Walk the World delivers a strong message that hungry children in school should not be forgotten, especially in this time of high food prices and hardship,” said WFP's Deputy Executive Director, John Powell, adding that WFP was grateful to everyone who participated in the event, including its corporate partners.
Across 24 time zones and in more than 250 locations, initial reports indicate the global walk raised more than $500,000 --enough to feed two million children for one day-- through WFP’s school feeding programme. The number is expected to increase significantly in the weeks to come.
In Egypt, under the auspices of H.E. First Lady Suzanne Mubarak, around 700 people joined the walk at the Smart Village in Cairo, including H.E. the Japanese Ambassador Kaoru Ishikawa, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Representative James Rawley, Director of United Nations Information Centre in Cairo Maher Nasser, and heads of various companies at the Smart Village.
The event raised around EGP 145,000 (US$27,000), which will help fund WFP’s school feeding programmes in the governorates of Upper Egypt.
“My sincerest thanks and gratitude go to H.E. the First Lady, for her auspices,” said Ayoub Al-Jawaldeh, WFP Egypt Acting Country Director.
“I would also like to extend my thanks to our partner TNT, the Smart Village’s companies for their great efforts undertaken to make this event successful and to all the companies that sponsored this event. I also recognize H. E. the Japanese Ambassador and the UNDP Representative for their words of appreciation for WFP’s work.
“A special note of gratitude goes to the Director of United Nations Information Centre in Cairo Maher Nasser who has continuously supported WFP and UN agencies. Finally we thank the media for the coverage they provided, which contributed to raising awareness about hunger,” Jawaldeh said.
WFP Egypt’s 2007-2011 operation aims to provide food assistance to about 321,000 pre-school and primary school children in some of the most remote and poorest parts of the country. Its school feeding projects help to encourage enrolment and attendance rates of school children, with a focus on girls.
WFP is also helping to change the lives of thousands of children by helping them to leave child labour and go to school.
“Walk the World is the event to raise awareness for all the children who suffer from hunger every day,” said CEO of TNT, Peter Bakker. “At TNT we believe that hunger is not acceptable in today’s world. I am proud that so many TNT employees, their families and friends on all continents of the world have actively taken part in this Walk to show their solidarity and to raise funds to give these children the daily meal they deserve.”
The walk showcased the many faces of hunger across the globe. In Malawi, more than 50,000 people walked in 13 districts, most of them schoolchildren who receive WFP meals. The King of Swaziland joined thousands in the capital, Mbabane. Tanzania had walks in six locations across the country, with over 12,000 participants including the First Lady and Prime Minister.
Indonesia’s colourful walk of 12,000 participants was opened by the coordinating Minister for Welfare and WFP National Ambassador Against Hunger, Luna Maya, and followed by a concert featuring popular bands.
Guatemala, a country where approximately half of all children are chronically malnourished, kicked off its Walk on May 14th with the support of WFP Honorary Spokesperson Lauren Bush, with a turn-out of over 20,000 people. Honduras saw the participation of more than 30,000 in Tegucigalpa, and San Pedro Sula.
Under the patronage of HRH Princess Basma, Chairperson of the Jordanian National Alliance Against Hunger, 8,000 participants walked five kilometres across the campus of the University of Jordan on May 12th in support of Walk the World. In Egypt, the event was held under the auspices of the First Lady.
Walks also took place in 25 European countries in 70 locations around landmarks such as Windsor Castle in the UK, Cologne Cathedral in Germany, Plac Piłsudskiego in Poland and the Little Mermaid monument in Denmark.
“I am very proud that employees across all regions unite and actively engage to raise awareness of child hunger and malnourishment,” said Doug Baillie, Unilever’s President Europe.
“End Hunger: Walk the World” evolved from an initiative of TNT employees in Asia in 2003, with Unilever joining as an organiser in 2007. Over the past five years, the event has mobilized approximately one million participants and raised funds to feed over 100,000 children in school for one year.
