On World Humanitarian Day, WFP Chief Demands Urgent Action To End World Hunger
Statement from Ertharin Cousin, Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme
ROME – Today 19 August is World Humanitarian Day, a day when the world commemorates those who risk their lives to bring humanitarian assistance to vulnerable people in need.
Despite the many dangers that we face, in many places where we and other humanitarians work, our staff remain committed in the line of duty, sometimes at great personal risk, and in the name of those humanitarian principles that we uphold and share.
In WFP we are marking the day across the world with a minute’s reflection, to remember those who lost their lives in the courageous work to deliver food assistance to those in greatest need.
Let us continue to celebrate the ideals, values and motivation that drive our humanitarian will and mission.
Amid the tragedy of conflict and the ravages of drought, from Syria to Southern Africa, we must continue to assist those in need, day in, day out.
Today, we recognize that our shared humanity demands urgent action and partnership in reaching the millions of people affected by crisis and who have no guarantee of their next meal.
Today, we call for greater global action to end hunger and deliver on the promise of our shared humanity. The people we serve need our support now more than ever.
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WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists some 80 million people in around 80 countries.
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For more information please contact (email address: firstname.lastname@wfp.org):
Jane Howard, WFP/Rome, Tel. +39 06 65132321, Mob. +39 346 7600521
Bettina Luescher, WFP/Geneva, Tel. +41 22 917 8564, Mob. + 41 79 842 8057
Gerald Bourke, WFP/New York, Tel. +1 646 5566909, Mob. +1 646 525 9982
Steve Taravella, WFP/Washington DC, Tel. +1 202 6531149, Mob. +1 202 7705993
