In honor of the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN) in 1945, World Food Day is a day celebrated internationally on October 16. Each year, the event hosts a new theme each year in attempt to bring awareness and action toward tackling global hunger, malnutrition, and existing problems of obesity. For 2020, World Food Day’s theme is “Food Safety, Everyone’s Business.”

World Food Day addresses the need to ensure food security and nutritious diets for all. Access to food is a basic and fundamental human right, and that is the focus for that day. Events are organized in over 150 countries across the world, making it one of the most celebrated days of the UN calendar.

The focus every year is Zero Hunger and the action oriented campaign calls upon countries and decision makers, the private sector, civil society, UN organizations and the general public to take action. “This is no ordinary World Food Day, and we need anything but ordinary action…” (World Food Day)

The idea of Zero Hunger could save the lives of 3.1 million children a year, end child undernutrition, and build a safer, more prosperous world for everyone, according to Facebook. Their objective is to make sustainable and healthy diets affordable and available to all, being supported by Rise Against Hunger and other organizations that provide meals for children in Haiti and throughout the world.

If you or someone you know is interested in taking a part of the change, you could donate food to local food banks and community organizations, raise awareness and spreading information by telling others about the Zero Hunger goal, waste less food, or donate to the UN’s World Food Programme and Action Against Hunger at https://www.wfpusa.org/.