FAO, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, involved the Teens for Unity and the Youth for a United World, the new generations of the Focolare Movement in the whole world, to achieve the goal: #ZeroHunger. An invitation to commitment that is to involve everyone.

The Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development is an action program for people, the planet, and prosperity signed in September 2015 by the governments of the 193 member countries of the UN. It includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals into a large action program for a total of 169 common goals.

The second of these 17 objectives focuses on the elimination of hunger in the world (#ZeroHunger) and, to implement it, this year, the FAO (United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization) proposed to the teens and the youth of the Focolare all over the world to involve their peers, collaborating in daily life and through special initiatives to achieve the #ZeroHunger goal.

#ZeroHungerGeneration: why the youth?

«It is essential to mobilize as many teens and youth as possible,
Because only through realization and increasing awareness
it will be possible to make this goal a reality.
Today’s youth may become the first generation that succeeds in eradicating
hunger in the world! »

_{From a letter of the FAO}

According to the FAO, young people who are now in the age group 12-16 can become the first generation ever to eradicate hunger in the world.

These young people are crucial to achieve the #ZeroHunger goal. Only with their realization, mobilization, and awareness will it be possible to achieve the elimination of hunger in the world before 2030.

Malnutrition in the world

• Around 800 million people currently suffer from hunger: approximately one person in nine.
• Under-nourishment, micronutrient deficiency, and obesity are the three sides of malnutrition. More than 600 million people suffer from obesity.
• To get rid of hunger and malnutrition, changes and measures need to be implemented at all levels of society – in its structures, but also in consumers and politicians. Unless we improve the management of our natural resources and promote sustainable lifestyles, we will not achieve it.
• Cities play a key role in the 2030 challenge to promote local sustainable development models aimed at eradicating hunger and extreme poverty in the world.

#ZeroHunger: LET US COMMIT OURSELVES!

• Choose a sober lifestyle based on love for others, and the culture of GIVING and SHARING;
• Study, get informed, and become aware of the problem of hunger in the world, with its roots and causes;
• Involve and raise the awareness of teens, young people, and adults we come into contact with at school, in sports associations, or in our parish community;
• Look around and elaborate, together with all those who want to engage for the #ZeroHunger goal, a plan for our city or region, with concrete actions of realization, awareness-raising, and help for those who suffer from hunger, through an exchange of experiences and gifts between those who live in situations of economic well-being and those suffering from poverty;
• Communicate (also by means of photos and videos) through the United World Project’s Facebook page or Instagram, the reflections, commitments, and action plans you have developed to make a contribution to the elimination of hunger in the world. This will keep us united and will make every little initiative important, because it is a point of a great network;
• Regularly make an evaluation of our work, to revive and keep the joy of commitment high in all;

October 16 is the World Day that the United Nations devotes to food. That week (October 13 through 21) will be an opportunity to harvest the first fruits of our common commitment. We can meet to thank all those who have been working hard and let everyone know what has been achieved worldwide, as well as to encourage each other to restart together.

The editorial staff of Teens magazine will accompany the #ZeroHunger objective, consecrating to it a column and the whole issue of March-April 2018.

Very soon, by next March, through the involvement of some Teens for Unity of the five continents, a “Commitment Card” will be drawn up. We can put into practice and spread it on all social media, to engage us all in the #ZeroHunger goal!