Panel Discussion: Food, Poverty and Politics
Dear HumanDHS network friends
Please find below information on a panel discussion on food, poverty and politics
Kind regards
Brian Ward
Food, Poverty and Politics
Date: Thursday October 2, 2008
Time: 1:15-2:45 PM
Location: Church Center for the UN
777 UN Plaza, 2nd Floor
(44th and 1st Ave.)
New York, NY 10017
RSVP: Full contact information to:
Jessica Hartl, UNA-USA
202-462-3446
jhartl[@]unausa.org
Featured Speakers
- Bill Ayres, Executive Director, World Hunger Year (Confirmed)
- Carlos Rodriguez, Vice President of Agency Relations & Programs, Food Bank for New York (Confirmed)
- Deborah Saidy, Director, NY Liaison Office, World Food Program (Invited)
Background
(Please note this is not our usual 2nd Thursday.)
Much attention has been drawn to the international food crisis over the past year, with many theories as to the causes. But what are the actual challenges to delivering food aid in the current environment? This panel, hosted by UNA-USA’s Council of Organizations in advance of World Food Day and International Day for Eradication of Poverty, aims to explore this issue in depth. Our panel of experts will speak about the links between the food crisis globally and rising food prices here in the United States; difficulties small farmers are experiencing; and the challenges to getting governments at the local and national levels to prioritize not only food aid but also longer-term solutions. Speakers will also address the challenges the World Food Program and other UN agencies face as food prices increase, the number of individuals needing food and falling back into poverty increases, and as governments implement trade restrictions.
About the Council of Organizations
The Council of Organizations is a division of the United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA), the nation’s largest grassroots foreign policy organization and the leading center of policy research on the United Nations and global issues.
UNA-USA’s reach extends to millions of Americans through its Council of Organizations, a coalition of more than 100 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) with interests in education, religion, labor, sustainable development, human rights, health and women’s issues that share the common goals of promoting greater public awareness about global issues and strengthening the United States-United Nations relationship.
With the United Nations showing an ever-increasing interest in working with civil society and NGOs, the Council of Organizations plays a critical role in offering opportunities for leaders from the NGO community to develop partnerships with the United Nations and each other.
With a national Executive Committee, the Council sponsors monthly briefings featuring UN ambassadors, academics, US government officials, distinguished NGO leaders and top Secretariat officials which keep the NGO community in NY and DC informed while offering a forum to share educational information and advocacy plans regarding issues on the UN agenda. The Council also works to support the United Nations by educating its members about the UN system through joint community work with local affiliates of organizations.
For information on the Council of Organizations, or to inquire about NGO membership, visit www.unausa.org/council or contact: Jessica Hartl, Coordinator, Council of Organizations, 202-462-3446 or jhartl[@]unausa.org .