World Food Day teleconference set for Oct. 16, 2007

September 26, 2007

Arizona State University’s West campus is the site of a panel discussion that is part of a live uplink to World Food Prize ceremonies during a celebration of the 24th annual World Food Day on October 16.<separator></separator>Sponsored by the campus Women’s Resource Center, the event will take place in La Sala-C on the West campus, 4701 West Thunderbird Road in Phoenix, 9 a.m. – noon.<separator></separator>“Those who attend will gain a greater awareness of global hunger issues and how our daily actions can make a difference locally and globally,” says Wanda Tucker-Hicks of the Women’s Resource Center in ASU’s New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences.<separator></separator>“Climate change has been included as a small segment of past topics, but this is the first teleconference which focuses on the impact of climate changes and hunger,” adds Tucker-Hicks.<separator></separator>The links between climate change, hunger and poverty will be the focus of the 2007 teleconference, titled “Climate: Changes, Challenges and Consequences,” while three international leaders in the field will discuss the many cross-cutting issues of global climate change and the potentially disastrous consequences for millions of poor and chronically undernourished people. <separator></separator>Panelists include Suzanne Hunt, an independent consultant who works with the National Resources Defense Council and the Global Bioenergy Partnership; Dr. Cynthia Rosenzweig, a research scientist and leader of the Climate Impacts Group at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies; and Dr. Stephen H. Schneider, Stanford university professor for Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies and founder and editor of the interdisciplinary journal Climate Change.<separator></separator>“The overwhelming majority of the world’s climate scientists are convinced that the looming crisis in climate change is caused primarily by humankind’s activities and will require immediate and far-sighted actions by all nations, rich and poor,” notes the World Food Day Web site.<separator></separator><a href="http://www.west.asu.edu/publicaffairs/admin/news_releases.cfm">World Food Day</a> (WFD) is a worldwide event designed to increase awareness, understanding and informed, year-around action to alleviate hunger. It is observed each October 16th in recognition of the founding of the <a href="http://www.worldfooddayusa.org/?id=3217">UN Food and Agriculture Organization</a> (FAO) in 1945. The first World Food Day was in 1981. In the United States the endeavor is sponsored by 450 national, private voluntary organizations, and hundreds of walks, fund-raisers, faith celebrations, food-for-all lobbying, government observances, and individual initiatives will occur on October 16.<separator></separator>For additional information, contact Wanda Tucker-Hicks at 602-543-3426.<separator></separator>

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