Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia Recognize World Food Day

15 October 2021, Washington, DC - The governors of Maryland and Virginia, respectively, issued proclamations recognizing October 16, 2021, as World Food Day on behalf of the State of Maryland and the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Mayor of Washington, D.C., also issued a proclamation recognizing World Food Day.   

Each year, the United States joins the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in celebrating World Food Day, however, this is the first year that Maryland, Virginia, and D.C. have issued official proclamations.  

World Food Day promotes global awareness and action for all who suffer from hunger, to encourage healthy diets and build better agri-food systems. This celebration also commemorates the founding of FAO on October 16, 1945. In 2020, 811 million people suffered from hunger and 3 billion people could not afford healthy diets. The World Food Day proclamations are an important vehicle to promote further recognition of these issues and elevate interest in building more resilient, inclusive and sustainable agri-food systems.  

Virginia Governor, Ralph Northum, proclaimed that “799,620, or one in 11 people in the Commonwealth are currently facing hunger, 214,270 of those are children” through the proclamation.  “The COVID-19 pandemic has renewed our commitment to ensuring that all residents have access to the food they need to grow and thrive,” continued Northum.  

Through Maryland Governor Larry Hogan’s proclamation, the state of Maryland recognized that World Food Day is “a critical opportunity to highlight the need for addressing hunger in our local communities and improving our nutrition and agri-food systems.” 

In Washington, D.C. “nearly 15% of households find it difficult to consistently provide food for themselves and their families” stated D.C. Mayor, Muriel Bowser, through the proclamation “food insecurity disproportionately impacts our most vulnerable communities including people of color, women, children, seniors, and immigrants, ultimately diminishing the strength of our economy and society.” 

"FAO appreciates the United States' longstanding and consistent leadership in addressing global hunger and building resilience in global agri-food systems, and is especially grateful to Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia for their recognition of this important day,” said Jocelyn Brown Hall, Director of the FAO Liaison Office for North America.  

Learn more about how you can join World Food Day celebrations http://www.fao.org/world-food-day