14 August 2023, Rome: The FAO Director-General today issued the following message on the occasion of International Youth Day 2023:
“Youth and women have been a priority for me since taking office in August 2019.
The FAO Youth Committee and the FAO Women’s Committee, established at the beginning of my term of office, help ensure that youth and women act as catalysts, both internally in the Organization by supporting women and youth career enrichment, as well as in supporting Members by generating and gatheringinnovative ideas and approaches to help accelerate agrifood systems transformation and rural development.
These Committees have swept in a breath of fresh air and helped to fill FAO with positive energy, passion and an innovative spirit, and they played a particularly important role in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic by acting as instruments for solidarity and togetherness.
The annual World Food Forum (WFF), created for and led by the youth, was established in 2021 and is a prominent example of global action for the transformation of global agrifood systems, in support of the 2030 Agenda and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The WFF Global Youth Forum, designed by and coordinated by FAO, is a global network of partners and an effective platform to share opinions and encourage collective actions.
It brings together diverse young people at the inter-section of food and culture; it supports the youngest generations, as well as marginalized youth including Indigenous Youth and young rural farmers; and it recognizes that the future of our planet belongs to the youth and that their engagement is central to transform our agrifood systems.
My vision for the next four years is to continue strengthening FAO’s capacity to better serve its Members, especially through advocating for youth and women.
For this reason, I will be establishing a new Office for Youth and Women in FAO, covered from existing resources, to coordinate activities related to the Women’s Committee, the Youth Committee, and the WFF.
It will also help to further strengthen and fast track agrifood systems transformation and rural development for a better future for the world under the Four Betters: Better Production, Better Nutrition, aBetter Environment and a Better Life – leaving no one behind.
The preparation process for this new structure is underway and will be further elaborated in the Adjustments to the Programme of Work and Budget 2024-25 to be reviewed by FAO Members later this year.
Today, as we celebrate International Youth Day 2023, let us use this opportunity to refocus our energy and passion to supporting the youth because they are the future, they are the leaders of tomorrow who will continue our legacy to ensure a better world – for people, planet and prosperity.”
