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FAO / WORLD FOOD DAY 2023

Celebrations marking this year’s World Food Day began on Monday October 16th at Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Headquarters in Rome, Italy, with the focus on water’s critical role in underpinning our food security and on how we can better manage and not take for granted this precious and finite resource.

In opening remarks, QU Dongyu the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, said that this year’s World Food Day theme: “Water is Life, Water is Food. - Leave no one behind”, makes a vital connection between food security and water security.

Duration 5m56s

Edit Version International

Video Type Video News Release (VNR)

Date 10/16/2023 2:50 PM

File size 782.93 MB

Unique ID UF2QB0

All editorial uses permitted

Production details and shotlist

UNFAO Source FAO Video

Shotlist STORY: FAO / WORLD FOOD DAY 2023

TRT: 05’:56’’

SOURCE: FAO

RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE CREDIT FAO ON SCREEN

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / ITALIAN / SPANISH / NATS

DATELINE: 16 OCTOBER 2023, ROME, ITALY

SHOTLIST:

1. Pan right, FAO headquarters

2. Zoom in, sign reading “Welcome FAO”

3. Wide shot, FAO Director General, QU Dongyu, welcoming Sergio Mattarella, President of the Republic of Italy

4. Wide shot, photo opportunity in front of FAO constitution (from left to right), Sergio Mattarella, President of the Republic of Italy, QU Dongyu, FAO Director General

5. Med shot, QU Dongyu, FAO Director General, welcoming Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland

6. Wide shot, photo opportunity in front of FAO constitution (from left to right) Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland, QU Dongyu, FAO Director General

7. Wide shot, World Food Day ceremony at FAO plenary hall

8. Wide shot, FAO Director-General delivering his speech

9. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General: “This year’s World Food Day theme ‘Water is life, water is food. - Leave no one behind’ makes the vital connection between water and food: Without water there is no food. And there is no food security without water security”.

10. Wide shot, FAO Director-General speaking

11. Close up, Sergio Mattarella, President of the Republic of Italy, listening

12. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General: “But the good news is that we can produce more and better, with less. We can reduce water use, by using water wisely, and by recycling. And we can reduce agriculture’s water footprint by adopting a holistic and integrated approach to water management.”

13. Wide shot, Sergio Mattarella, President of the Republic of Italy, getting onstage

14. Med shot, QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General (left) and Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland (right) listening

15. SOUNDBITE (ITALIAN) Sergio Mattarella, President of the Republic of Italy: “It is a crime to transform food and water into conflict instruments. Conversely, food and water prove the indivisibility of human fate. The rights to food and water are part of the right to life and are the basis of an idea of human safety that requires cooperation”.

16. Wide shot, audience listening

17. Wide shot, Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland, delivering his speech

18. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland: “Today is a day to renew our commitment to the conservation of our water resources, to the achieving the universal food security. Surely a great moral challenge, a world free from hunger. A just, sustainable and harmonious existence on our planet that is in peril.”

19. Wide shot, audience clapping

20. Wide shot, Monsignor Fernando Chica Arellano, Permanent Representation of the Holy See to the United Nations reading a message on behalf of Pope Francis

21. SOUNDBITE (SPANISH) Monsignor Fernando Chica Arellano, Permanent Representation of the Holy See: “World Food Day is being celebrated at a time when misery and despair give no respite to many of our brothers. In fact the cry of pain and despair of the poor must awake us from the lethargy that holds us and call to our conscience”.

22. Wide shot, António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations

23. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations: “The sustainable management of water for agriculture and food production is essential to end hunger, achieve the SDGs, and preserve water for future generations. Zero hunger is achievable. This World Food Day, I call on governments, the private sector, civil society and academia to work together, to prioritize feeding the hungry, to bring ending this crisis to the top of the global agenda, and to invest in long-term solutions that provide everyone with enough to eat”.

24. Med shot, audience listening

25. Wide shot, Mariam Bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri, Cabinet Member, Minister for Climate Change and Environment of the UAE speaking

26. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Mariam Bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri, Cabinet Member, Minister for Climate Change and Environment of the UAE: “We need to look at ourselves, I also need to look in UAE there are so many things, fundamental things we need to change about water is managed and it is so important that we do this because water has not been given the attention it deserves.”

27. Wide shot, FAO plenary hall

28. Wide shot, Alvaro Lario, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) speaking

29. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Alvaro Lario, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD): “The four dimensions of water security: availability, access, stability and quality are intimately linked to food security and span across multiple sectors and actors. These dimensions also affect the link between water fragility and conflicts. Water scarcity and competition for limited water resources exacerbates existing tensions and create new ones.”

30. Wide shot, Cindy Hensley McCain, Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) speaking

31. Med shot, audience listening

32. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Cindy Hensley McCain, Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP): “Water scarcity can also stoke instability as communities compete for increasingly rare resources, tragically climate change is plunging more people into hunger and despair each year. It is just one of the drivers of an unparalleled global hunger crisis, also being fueled by conflict, economic turmoil and more.”

33. Wide shot, audience at ceremony

34. Wide shot, moderators speaking

FILE – FAO HEADQUARTERS ROME, ITALY

35. Wide shot, FAO headquarters

36. Med shot, FAO flag

ENDS

Script Celebrations marking this year’s World Food Day began on Monday October 16th at Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Headquarters in Rome, Italy, with the focus on water’s critical role in underpinning our food security and on how we can better manage and not take for granted this precious and finite resource.

In opening remarks, QU Dongyu the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, said that this year’s World Food Day theme: “Water is Life, Water is Food. - Leave no one behind”, makes a vital connection between food security and water security.

SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General: “This year’s World Food Day theme ‘Water is life, water is food. - Leave no one behind’ makes the vital connection between water and food: Without water there is no food. And there is no food security without water security”.

However, rapid population growth, urbanization, industrialization, economic development and the climate crisis have all taken a toll on our water resources the world over, while increasing floods and droughts are further impacting agrifood systems, jeopardizing the livelihoods of millions of farmers, Qu noted.

FAO Director-General emphasized that it is now possible to produce more with less.

SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General: “But the good news is that we can produce more and better, with less. We can reduce water use, by using water wisely, and by recycling. And we can reduce agriculture’s water footprint by adopting a holistic and integrated approach to water management.”

Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella in his address noted that scarcity of water is at the root of poverty, of conflict and therefore it must be managed through cooperation.

SOUNDBITE (ITALIAN) Sergio Mattarella, President of the Republic of Italy: “It is a crime to transform food and water into conflict instruments. Conversely, food and water prove the indivisibility of human fate. The rights to food and water are part of the right to life and are the basis of an idea of human safety that requires cooperation”.

Irish President Michael D. Higgins said that the world is at a perilous tipping point in terms of this precious resource and added that it is important to not encourage young people to repeat or extend older generations' mistakes.

SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland: “Today is a day to renew our commitment to the conservation of our water resources, to the achieving the universal food security. Surely a great moral challenge, a world free from hunger. A just, sustainable and harmonious existence on our planet that is in peril.”

And Pope Francis, in a message read on his behalf highlighted the irreplaceable value of water as a resource for all living beings on the planet.

SOUNDBITE (SPANISH) Monsignor Fernando Chica Arellano, Permanent Representation of the Holy See: “World Food Day is being celebrated at a time when misery and despair give no respite to many of our brothers. In fact the cry of pain and despair of the poor must awake us from the lethargy that holds us and call to our conscience”.

In his video message, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres underlined water’s role as a necessity for nutritious and healthy food.

SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations: “The sustainable management of water for agriculture and food production is essential to end hunger, achieve the SDGs, and preserve water for future generations. Zero hunger is achievable. This World Food Day, I call on governments, the private sector, civil society and academia to work together, to prioritize feeding the hungry, to bring ending this crisis to the top of the global agenda, and to invest in long-term solutions that provide everyone with enough to eat”.

Mariam Bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri, United Arab Emirates Minister for Climate Change and Environment, said that there are many fundamental things we need to change about how water is managed.

SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Mariam Bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri, Cabinet Member, Minister for Climate Change and Environment of the UAE: “We need to look at ourselves, I also need to look in UAE there are so many things, fundamental things we need to change about water is managed and it is so important that we do this because water has not been given the attention it deserves.”

Alvaro Lario, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), said that the four dimensions of water security, availability, access, stability and quality are intimately linked to food security

SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Alvaro Lario, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD): “The four dimensions of water security: availability, access, stability and quality are intimately linked to food security and span across multiple sectors and actors. These dimensions also affect the link between water fragility and conflicts. Water scarcity and competition for limited water resources exacerbates existing tensions and create new ones.”

Cindy McCain, Executive Director of the World Food Programme, said that water scarcity can also stoke instability as communities compete for increasingly rare resources.

SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Cindy Hensley McCain, Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP): “Water scarcity can also stoke instability as communities compete for increasingly rare resources, tragically climate change is plunging more people into hunger and despair each year. It is just one of the drivers of an unparalleled global hunger crisis, also being fueled by conflict, economic turmoil and more.”

Also present at the ceremony were King Letsie III of Lesotho, Prince Hassan bin Talal of Jordan and Kassim Majaliwa, Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania.

World Food Day is celebrated on 16 October every year to commemorate FAO's founding on that day in 1945.

Later in the week on October 19, Junior World Food Day will bring together chefs, influencers, innovators, and special guests with young minds for an engaging cross-cultural conversation, and cooking show, aimed at inspiring water action for food.

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