MSU will participate in the 18th Annual World Food Day today by showing a worldwide live teleconference and holding a panel discussion to address hunger and nutrition issues.
“Any graduate or undergraduate student who has an interest in learning about what they could do to help fight hunger and end hunger would benefit from this event,” said Robert Glew, assistant director of the Center for Advanced Study of International Development.
The live teleconference from Washington is expected to be hosted by Ray Suarez, a senior correspondent with the PBS Jim Lehrer NewsHour. It will be shown from noon to 1 p.m. in the Union.
The panel discussion, which includes MSU faculty, African researchers and policy makers and local activists who work to reduce hunger, will follow the conference from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Advertising sophomore Rochelle Wells said she thinks it’s great that MSU is taking part in World Food Day because she believes nutrition is a huge issue.
“I’m interested to see what other people have to say about world hunger and to also hear what the issues are,” she said. “I would like to know how it relates to the current problems in our society.”
The teleconference will feature Dr. Wenche Barth Eide from the University of Oslo’s Institute of Nutrition Research and Faculty of Medicine in Norway. She will speak about the nutritional problems in the developing world.
The teleconferences are always related to food and food security issues, Glew said. Last year’s topic was poverty and hunger.
This year, Glew said he believes the discussion may touch upon the relationship between world hunger and the recent acts of terrorism.
Some students say they believe hunger and terrorism are directly related.
“The food drops in Afghanistan affect hunger because it is difficult to correctly distribute the food in the current situation,” marketing junior Patrick Livingston said. “It’s possible that terrorists may hold food rations from the intended parties.”
But Pamela Fraker, a professor of human nutrition, said she thinks hunger and terrorism are not linked at all.
“I think it’s very important to do everything we can about world hunger,” she said. “The conference is a good as long as it’s not an excuse for the death of 5,000 Americans.”
The panel discussion will also include a debate about the hunger and terrorism link, but there will be an emphasis on informing people of what they can do to help.
“We will be discussing current legislative activities that have been initiated to inform people about what they can do to help solve issues related to hunger and food security,” Glew said.
