Intergenerational Dialogue Opening Remarks

Dear colleagues,

Welcome! I always appreciate the opportunity for us to come together because it allows us to work together, think together, learn together and grow together.  And more importantly, contribute together.

Today, FAO's young and young-at-heart from across the Organization are here to engage and exchange ideas. This is something that is very close to my heart because sharing intergenerational knowledge and experience is essential to building the bridge for the future.

When I came here five years ago, I immediately established the FAO Women’s Committee and the FAO Youth Committee so that the young and the young-at-heart could lead the change.

We need to build a balanced culture across the generations. We need young people to build the future, while not forgetting the importance of respecting our seniors. We need them to share their experiences with us. We need to respect each other like a big family.

Today is a meeting of minds to move forward together in line with the Four Rs: Recover physically and psychologically; Rebuild efficiently and innovatively; and Reform deliverably and smoothly, for a Renaissance of FAO that is dynamic and impactful.

At the first Intergenerational Dialogue in 2022, I welcomed my good friend and former FAO staff member and former ICC, Khalid Mehboob, to share his wealth of knowledge and experience. Last year, former Deputy Director-General Dan Gustafson shared his thoughts on over 25 years of service with the Organization.

Today, I am delighted to welcome Ms Eve Crowley, Deputy Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean based in the FAO Regional Office is Santiago, Chile, and Ms Xiangjun Yao, Subregional Representative for Asia and the Pacific based in our office in Samoa. Between them they have a long time of dedicated service to FAO despite a challenging life!

We are also joined by six passionate young colleagues representing headquarters and each of our regional offices and reflecting the broad spectrum of the Organization’s work and the vital energy they bring to the Organization.

As we prepare for the World Food Forum 2024 next week - with its three pillars: the Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum, the Science and Innovation Forum, and the Global Youth Forum - we can feel the dynamics in action!

This energy helps keep FAO at the center of the dialogue and creativity around agrifood systems transformation.

Next week is FAO’s 79th Birthday and World Food Day 2024 will mark the start of the one-year countdown to FAO's 80th anniversary. It will be a moment to reflect on our rich heritage and also to look to the future and how we can contribute towards an FAO of service excellence that is fit for purpose.

Dear Colleagues,

This year’s Intergenerational Dialogue theme is 'FAO today, FAO tomorrow’ and I am so excited to listen to your thoughts and look forward to a positive and constructive conversation to continue commitment towards building a dynamic FAO for a better world.

But this exchange must not end today. It is a dialogue that must continue in your offices, in the cafeteria, in the field, with your colleagues and, more importantly, with our partners and our customers: the farmers and consumers of the world.

We must turn the aspiration of the Four Betters - better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind - into concrete and coherent action.

We must leverage our collective wisdom to help vulnerable populations and stand united to achieve real progress.

Let us always remember our shared responsibility to build a dynamic FAO for a better future for all.

Everyone can contribute to the Renaissance of FAO - with your small part of a big team!

Thank you.