The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will convene the Asia-Pacific regional observance of World Food Day on Monday, 17 October 2016 at its regional office, 39 Phra Atit Road 10200 Bangkok.

This year’s event will be very high-profile and include the in-person presentation and announcement of the new United Nations’ FAO Special Ambassador for Zero Hunger.  Registration begins at 8 am with all media in position by 8:30. Due to heightened security, late comers will not be allowed inside the venue.

Achieving Zero Hunger is one of the world’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 2), of which FAO has been named custodian by the international community. Of the nearly 800 million hungry people in the world, 62 percent (490 million) live in the Asia-Pacific region. The goal of SDG 2 is to achieve a world of zero hunger by 2030.

The announcement and presentation of the UN’s FAO Special Ambassador for Zero Hunger will be followed by the official observance of World Food Day 2016, which will focus on the need for agriculture and food production to adapt to our changing climate. Recognition of individual efforts for innovation in agriculture will be awarded to Model Farmers from five countries in the region – Fiji, Mongolia, Pakistan, Thailand and Viet Nam. The awards will be presented on FAO’s behalf by the World Food Day Guest of Honour, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand.

To secure space, accredited media should pre-register by email reply to [email protected]