"Match Day against Hunger" at the Bundesliga FC Shalke 04 Stadium

The EPFL Social Responsibility Committee, headed by EPFL and Premier League Chairman, Sir David Richards, met in Lisbon, to evaluate the outcome of the EPFL-FAO Campaign Against Hunger and start planning new social initiatives for the upcoming season 2009/2010.

Representatives from the English Premier League, the German Bundesliga, the Spanish Liga, the Italian Lega Calcio and the Portuguese Liga took part in the meeting, which also counted with the presence of senior representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nation (FAO).

On the occasion, The EPFL representatives had the opportunity to review the outstanding impact of the Professional Football Against Hunger Campaign in raising awareness through football stadiums and media and reaching the hearts and minds the international community about the devastating problem of hunger.

The Campaign, launched on the occasion of the celebration of the World Food Day at FAO headquarters in Rome, on 15 October 2008, was followed by an EPFL Field Visit to FAO Telefood Projects in Egypt, on January ultimo. The EPFL delegation included a number of EPFL Executives and football stars from Italy, Germany, Spain and Portugal.

On 20-22 March 2009, during the Match Day Against Hunger weekend, for the first time ever, the European Professional Football Leagues echoed simultaneously, across 14 Countries and over 150 stadiums across Europe, a message “to reduce the number of 963 Million people suffering from Hunger”.

Since October 2008, the number of people suffering from hunger has increased to 1.02 billion. To support FAO at the forefront of the fight against this alarming trend, the EPFL has reaffirmed its commitment to use the power of football to raise awareness and further mobilize the public opinion and the political authorities.

During the upcoming season 2009/10, the EPFL, joined by its Member Leagues and Associate Members, will develop a series of new impacting initiatives, which shall be announced in due course.

During Lisbon meeting, Olga de La Fuente, Director of the Spanish “Fundación la Liga” has been appointed as new member of the EPFL Social Responsibility Committee.