Freedom from hunger
Freedom from hunger
The first half of the 20th century has witnessed three major revolutions. The political revolution has brought self-government to nearly a third of the world's population and has brought their aspirations for a better life to the forefront of world attention.
The revolution in communications has broken down the barriers of distance and language, and the dynamisms of ideas can no longer be contained within the limits dictated by social privilege or political considerations.
The demographic revolution has imparted to the challenge of poverty and want a new dimension. It is against this background that the Freedom from Hunger Campaign was launched in 1960 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Its main objectives are twofold: first, to create a world-wide awareness of the problems of hunger and malnutrition which afflict more than half of the world's population and which, apart from the human suffering and human degradation that they involve, pose a serious threat to peace and orderly progress ; and second, to promote a climate of opinion in which solutions to these problems can be organized both on a national and on an international basis.
In the short time since its launching, the Campaign has already provided a focus for co-operative endeavour for international organizations, national governments, non-governmental organizations and various citizens' groups all over the world. The 104 member nations attending the biennial FAO conference in November 1961 paid unanimous tribute to the significance of this Campaign for the future well-being of the world.
The Freedom from Hunger Campaign attempts to attack the problem of hunger on a broad front and at all levels of economic and social thought and action ; but for practical purposes it defines three sectors of operation: (a) information and education, (b) research, and (c) action.
The information and education programmes will help bring to citizens everywhere a living awareness of the concrete facts and issues, and provide bases for deciding what new national and international policies and action programmes are needed. This effort to create informed and active awareness will rise to a climax with the World Food Congress to be held under FAO auspices in 1963.
Many international, professional and citizens' groups will hold forums on Campaign issues this year and in 1963. Many national Campaign committees will also organize similar discussions. Representatives from all these bodies are expected to participate in the World Food Congress and help bring into focus policies and action for plans for the future.
This special issue of The Unesco Courier has been prepared to help people throughout the world to understand the great issues involved. An attempt has been made to summarize in popular form the major facts known and the agreed conclusions of experts up to now. The Editors hope that this special number will provide study groups in schools and public discussion groups with useful and reliable material on a critical world problem that is of vital concern to us all.