Liaison Newsletter > LIAISON Vol. 1, No. 6, November 1997 - Articles

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Eight Days for Eight Hundred Million - Follow up to the World Food Summit
by Jeff de Jong

A year ago world leaders and heads of state gathered in Rome at the World Food Summit, convened by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), to discuss the eradication of global hunger—a fact of life for an estimated 800 million people worldwide.

This event culminated in a commitment by the participating governments to develop a Global Plan of Action in collaboration with the FAO. Each government assumed responsibility for preparing its own national plan of action, to be presented to the Committee on Food Security (CFS) meetings in the spring of 1998. (The hope is that the first draft of the Canadian Plan of Action will be completed in time for the FAO regional consultations and follow-up CFS meetings.)

On October 16, 1997, the Global Network on Food Security (GNFS) and its partners mounted the second annual "Eight Days for Eight Hundred Million" campaign. The event sought to raise public awareness about the commitments made at the World Food Summit and to foster support for the Canadian National Plan of Action. Based on last year’s successful model, the campaign began on World Food Day (October 16) and ended on UN Day (24 October), with the highlight being an 8 hour live telecast on the Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC) involving numerous Non-governmental organizations, representatives of government agencies and distinguished Members of Parliament.

This year’s broadcast featured live panel discussions with Bill Graham, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Standing Committee, and New Democratic Party (NDP) Foreign Affairs critic, Svend Robinson. Secretary of State for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Dr. Norman Vincent issued a pre-recorded statement of support. The telecast also included a live two hour link to the Fourteenth Annual World Food Day Conference in Washington, D.C..

Televised discussions help to further inform Canadians about the continuing importance of food security issues both at home and abroad, and to connect local communities with important national and international policy.

Other activities that were launched during the "1997 Eight Days for Eight Hundred Million Campaign", included a food-security web page, an on-line survey that invited Canadian school children to participate in the campaign, and a national calendar of events which promoted the activities of GNFS and its partners throughout Canada. These activities were promoted through School Net.

Despite the efforts and success of the campaign, a concerted public awareness programme is still needed to keep Canadians aware of the commitments made on their behalf by the Federal Government at last November’s World Food Summit.