5 December 2014, Rome--- FAO celebrates today the first official World Soil Day and the Launch of the International Year of Soils 2015, with similar events organized in New York, Bangkok and Santiago. The event moderated by Marcela Villarreal, Director of FAO’s Office for Partnerships, Advocacy and Capacity Development, was organized in an effort to raise awareness and promote more sustainable use of this critical resource. Healthy soils are critical for global food production and provide a range of environmental services.