World Food Day 2023: Theme, Date, Significance & History

World Food Day is observed every year on October 16 and celebrations are held all over the globe. The event commemorates the establishment of United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in 1945 on the same day. The aim of the day is to raise awareness of the issues like poverty and hunger and the adoptive measures for solution of these issues.

World Food Day 2023 is being celebrated on Monday, October 16 with many organizations concerned with hunger and food security, organizing and participating in the events. The World Food Programme, the World Health Organization and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the three major bodies concerned with quality and quantity of food in the world, organize activities all over the world.

World Food Day 2023 Date

You may check below date of world food day celebration in 2023 and coming years:

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World Food Day 2023 Overview

Significance of World Food Day

Millions of people all over the globe are unable to afford a healthy diet and are thus at a higher risk of malnutrition. Even when enough food is being produced to meet the world’s demands, the problem is availability of nutritious food. The scenario is further aggravated by multiple challenges like COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts, climate change, inequality, rising prices, international tensions, etc.

In some areas there are people who are often marginalized due to their gender, ethnic origin, or status and rely only on their own cultivated food missing out on other nutrients. To gain attention of food advocates around the world towards these issues, World Food Day 2023 is being observed with great enthusiasm.

History of World Food Day Observation

In November 1979, the Hungarian Delegation led by the former Hungarian Minister of Agriculture and Food, Dr. Pal Romany, put forward the resolution to observe World Food Day to unite people against the fight with hunger and the war and conflicts it can bring with it. Dr Roman played an active role at the 20th Session of the Food and Agriculture Organization Conference in promoting the idea of celebrating the WFD worldwide.

The member countries of FAO voted on the proposal and the World Food Day was established in the year 1979 with first celebration being held in 1981. Since 1981, WFD has been observed every year in more than 150 countries and raised consciousness of the issues relating to poverty and hunger. See other important days in October

World Food Day 2023 Celebration

On the occasion of World Food Day, ministries, universities, research agencies, international agencies, and NGOs organize conferences, exhibitions, symposiums, etc. Many governments and non-government organizations all over the world organize food festival in various communities.

In some countries, special ceremonies are held in primary and secondary schools, where teachers explained the significance of World Food Day. The FAO issues World Food Day medals each year to commemorate and promote the anniversary.

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World Food Day 2023 Theme

Since its starting, World Food Day has adopted a different theme each year to highlight the areas that need the most focus. For the year 2023, the theme for World Food Day is “Water is life, water is food. Leave no one behind”.

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