Freedom from Hunger Campaign

MAC/WFY

Page-82

0230_553559_12_cha08

194570. Early Attempts: FAO's Pioneering Work

international action for abolishing hunger will reduce tension and improve
human relationships by bringing out the best instead of the worst in man. (Sen,
1982, pp. 31415)

Sen explained that the main objective in observing the `Freedom from Hunger
Week' (March 1723, 1963) was to `heighten the feeling of world solidarity in
winning man's first freedom freedom from hunger'. As this event fell at the mid-
point of the FFHC, it was an invitation to individuals and groups to participate
in a tangible way in furthering the objectives of the campaign. Sen addressed
letters to some 120 member governments of the UN system suggesting what
actions might be taken for the observance of the event. These suggestions included
the issuing of proclamations by governments and messages from heads of states,
strengthening of the national FFHC committees, organization of agricultural and
nutrition development programmes, adoption of relevant laws and administrative
measures, religious observances, introduction of teaching programmes on FFHC
into national education systems, and special media coverage.

President Kennedy issued a proclamation urging:

the American Freedom from Hunger Foundation to take national leadership
in planning appropriate observance of this Week, and American citizens in all
walks of life to participate in the observance of the National Freedom from
Hunger Week'. (Sen, 1982, p. 152)

The high point in the FFHC was reached with the holding of a World Food
Congress in Washington, DC in June 1963. The meeting was attended by 1,300
people from over 100 countries. Opening the congress, President Kennedy recalled
that 20 years previously President Franklin D. Roosevelt had launched the confer-
ence at Hot Springs, that had led to the foundation of FAO, by declaring that
`freedom from want and freedom from fear go hand in hand'. Kennedy added:

so long as freedom from hunger is only half achieved, so long as two thirds of
the nations have food deficits, no citizen, no nation, can afford to be satisfied.
We have the ability, as members of the human race. We have the means, we
have the capacity to eliminate hunger from the face of the earth in our lifetime.
We need only the will. (FAO, 1965b, p. 63)

Among its proposals, the Congress stated that `the formulation of a world plan,
in quantitative terms, on the basis of nutritional needs, indicating the type and
magnitude of external assistance needed in relation to local resources, and inter-
nationally coordinated should be undertaken in order to ensure that the world
might be freed from hunger within the foreseeable future'. The Congress also
proposed that both the FFHC and the national FFHC committees should be placed
on a continuing basis and FAO's coordination of FFHC work should be widened
and strengthened. The Declaration of the Congress echoed a number of the points

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Useful links	Freedom from Hunger Campaign MAC/WFY Page-82 0230_553559_12_cha08 82 194570. Early Attempts: FAO's Pioneering Work international action for abolishing hunger will reduce tension and improve human relationships by bringing out the best instead of the worst in man. (Sen, 1982, pp. 31415) Sen explained that the main objective in observing the `Freedom from Hunger Week' (March 1723, 1963) was to `heighten the feeling of world solidarity in winning man's first freedom freedom from hunger'. As this event fell at the mid- point of the FFHC, it was an invitation to individuals and groups to participate in a tangible way in furthering the objectives of the campaign. Sen addressed letters to some 120 member governments of the UN system suggesting what actions might be taken for the observance of the event. These suggestions included the issuing of proclamations by governments and messages from heads of states, strengthening of the national FFHC committees, organization of agricultural and nutrition development programmes, adoption of relevant laws and administrative measures, religious observances, introduction of teaching programmes on FFHC into national education systems, and special media coverage. President Kennedy issued a proclamation urging: the American Freedom from Hunger Foundation to take national leadership in planning appropriate observance of this Week, and American citizens in all walks of life to participate in the observance of the National Freedom from Hunger Week'. (Sen, 1982, p. 152) The high point in the FFHC was reached with the holding of a World Food Congress in Washington, DC in June 1963. The meeting was attended by 1,300 people from over 100 countries. Opening the congress, President Kennedy recalled that 20 years previously President Franklin D. Roosevelt had launched the confer- ence at Hot Springs, that had led to the foundation of FAO, by declaring that `freedom from want and freedom from fear go hand in hand'. Kennedy added: so long as freedom from hunger is only half achieved, so long as two thirds of the nations have food deficits, no citizen, no nation, can afford to be satisfied. We have the ability, as members of the human race. We have the means, we have the capacity to eliminate hunger from the face of the earth in our lifetime. We need only the will. (FAO, 1965b, p. 63) Among its proposals, the Congress stated that `the formulation of a world plan, in quantitative terms, on the basis of nutritional needs, indicating the type and magnitude of external assistance needed in relation to local resources, and inter- nationally coordinated should be undertaken in order to ensure that the world might be freed from hunger within the foreseeable future'. The Congress also proposed that both the FFHC and the national FFHC committees should be placed on a continuing basis and FAO's coordination of FFHC work should be widened and strengthened. The Declaration of the Congress echoed a number of the points back to top Next page
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