Address at the Stop Hunger Supporters Evening

Dear partners, dear friends,

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What brings us together tonight is a mixture of hope and indignation.

Hope for a better future in which food insecurity is a thing of the past, ... and indignation! How could we not be indignant? When access to food is a fundamental right, stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This right is still being violated for more than 800 million people throughout the world.

How can we accept that one tenth of the globe is plunged into food insecurity when the world produces enough food resources to feed the whole planet? And how can we accept that one third of this food production is wasted? This paradox is shocking and revolting.?

The figures on hunger remain unfortunately underreported. To put them in perspective, I would like to share with you a reality: the COVID-19 pandemic has so far caused the death of nearly six million people in the world, while hunger kills more than nine million people every year. More specifically, hunger causes 25,000 deaths per day, 10,000 of which are children.

The world is marked by the pandemic, by climatic crises and by conflicts. They continue to intensify the spread of hunger. Sadly, recent events in Ukraine are a stark reminder of this.?

Food security is therefore becoming a major challenge!

At Stop Hunger, we have decided to make our indignation a driving force for our actions. Beyond food assistance, we are involved in sustainable programs to fight for a hunger-free world, and we stand by the side of women, pillars of this struggle.?

Why focus on women? Because they are the first victims of hunger. Among the 800 million people who are food insecure, 60% are women.?

However, when women are empowered and given the opportunity to generate income, they become true pioneers in lifting their families and communities out of extreme vulnerability.

At Stop Hunger, we supported more than 30,000 women over the past two years by empowering them with income-generating skills. Today, they are farmers, cooks, seamstresses or beekeepers...?

The choice of our theme tonight is a tribute to them: Feeding the future... For Stop Hunger and for our partners, it is both an ambition and a watchword, a unifying promise in the service of the most vulnerable women and of future generations.

This theme is also a note of hope, that of seeing indignation give way to action.

All of you attending this evening are contributing to this! In the name of Stop Hunger, in the name of our partners, in the name of our volunteers, we are truly grateful... because we draw our strength from your trust, from your support.?

10 March 2022. Translated from French. #StopHungerEvent2022?

Photos, top to bottom: Stop Hunger 2022 Laureates with Patrick Sochnikoff, SVP Corporate Social Responsibility, Sodexo; Stop Hunger Volunteer Laureates 2022 with Anna Notarianni, President, Sodexo France; Kandy Guira on stage with Stop Hunger team members and volunteers ?Pascale Barnoud?