FAO’s global TeleFood campaign set new records in 1999 – the campaign’s third year. More people, more celebrities and more countries than ever came together in support of TeleFood. People in more than 70 countries around the world participated in TeleFood broadcasts, concerts and other events that spread the message and raised the awareness and solidarity of the necessity of "Food for All".

The 1999 theme of TeleFood and World Food Day was "Youth against Hunger". All TeleFood events in all countries put the spotlight on the problem of hunger in the world and highlighted the contribution of young people to the battle against it.

Millions of people tuned in to the many events organized around the world to celebrate TeleFood and World Food Day 1999. These included a televised celebrity auction in Cairo, a three -hour prime-time television show in Spain, a special broadcast in Argentina televised throughout Latin America, a national cricket match in India and several radio programmes in war-torn Liberia. The main event of TeleFood '99 was a mega-concert televised worldwide from James Bond Beach in Jamaica, where an all-star lineup of international musical talents took to the stage for hours of music with a message.

South African singer and FAO Ambassador Miriam Makeba
The number of internationally renowned sponsors and celebrities supporting TeleFood continued to climb in 1999. Nobel Prize winner in medicine Rita Levi Montalcini, actress Gina Lollobrigida, jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater and singer Miriam Makeba were appointed Ambassadors of FAO and TeleFood. In addition hundreds of other celebrities as Harry Belafonte, Joaquín Cortés, B.B. King, Gong Li and Luciano Pavarotti lent their voices to TeleFood and gave their time and talent to the campaign.

Since TeleFood began three years ago, thousands of people around the world have generously contributed to the fight against hunger. Approximately 6 million dollars has been collected. Every dollar donated to the TeleFood Fund has gone directly to finance more than 500 small grassroots development projects for the rural poor in over 100 countries. The beneficiaries are poor farmers, especially women and young people, and the money has been used to pay for tools, seeds and other essential supplies required to grow the food families and communities need. No money has been diverted for administrative costs, experts, training or meetings.

TeleFood/World Food Day audio materials