The theme of the World Food Day 2016, "Climate is changing. Food and Agriculture must too.", highlights how food and agriculture need to adapt to climate change in order to feed a growing global population in a sustainable way.

It resonates with the crucial time in which WFD will be observed, just before the next UN Climate Change Conference, COP 22, from 7-18 November 2016 in Marrakech, Morocco.

FAO celebrates World Food Day each year on 16 October to commemorate the founding of the Organization in 1945. Events are organized in over 150 countries across the world, making it one of the most celebrated days of the UN calendar.

The official World Food Day ceremony at FAO Headquarters will take place at 10.00 in the Plenary Hall on Friday, 14 October.

The Director-General of FAO Mr José Graziano da Silva will be joined by the President of the Council of Ministers of Italy Matteo Renzi and keynote speakers Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Hasnaa of Morocco and Macharia Kamau, United Nations Special Envoy on El Niño and Climate. A special message on food security from His Holiness, Pope Francis will be read by His Excellency Monseigneur Fernando Chica Arellano, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to FAO and Kanayo Nwanze, President of IFAD and Ertharin Cousin, Executive Director of WFP will also address the audience.