Churches’ Week of Action on Food: An Annual Global Campaign

World Food Day 2020: Food is one of the most essential requirements for the sustenance of human life. If a human being does not have shelter over their head or clothes over their body, they would still survive but, if they don’t get wholesome nutrition then their survival is at risk.

Throughout history, food has acted as a catalyst for societal transformation, development, and expansion. But now, food safety is becoming an important issue. Thus to raise awareness about the importance of good food and nutrition World Food Day is celebrated across the globe in different ways.

World Food Day 2020 is observed on October 16 every year to tackle global hunger and strive to eradicate hunger across the world. There are people all over the world who are suffering from hunger. Starvation is a massive problem in several countries, and we need to do more to raise awareness and combat this problem. However, in 2020, World Food Day will be observed on Friday.

World Food Day 2020: Theme

World Food Day is celebrated every year with different themes to focus on areas that require action and offer a common objective. This year the World Food Day 2020 theme is “Grow, nourish, sustain. Together. Our actions are our future”.

Several different events take place on World Food Day. However, this year due to the ongoing pandemic celebration will be different. One of the best ways to celebrate the day is by giving food to people who need it the most.

Despite the economic growth achieved during the last 20 years, the world especially the global south continues to suffer from ‘alarming hunger’ and acute malnutrition among children below age five. However, food alone does not solve the problem of underweight children; it needs a multidimensional thrust through the right to health, right to hygiene, right to water and right to live.

Therefore, considering the seriousness of the issue, the World Council of Churches – Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance has launched a global Campaign on “FOOD-JUSTICE for LIFE” in 2012 and initiated missional interventions in promoting ‘Life Giving Agriculture’ as a commitment to facilitate their constituent members and communities of people to join the campaign to give expression in the entire world to the Gospel of Food-Justice for Life.

The week between, 11 – 17 October is considered as an important week! This week includes the ‘International Day of Girl Child ‘ (11 October),  ‘International Day for Disaster Reduction’ (13 October), ‘International Day for Rural Women’ (15 October), ‘World Food Day’ (16 October) and ‘International Day for Eradication of Poverty’ (17 October).  Hence,  the WCC – EAA has declared this week as “Churches’ Week of Action on Food”.    ‘This  Churches’ Week of Action on Food’,  is a to advocate Food-justice ‘OF’ all – Food Justice ‘FOR all. This is part of the WCC -EAA’s global campaign on ‘Food for Life.’ The Members of EAA observe this week globally with the their networks and constituencies. The Oioktree is facilitating and encouraging all its life-affirming partners to observe the same effectively and Meaningfully.

This year also this campaighn developed an Order of Worships, resources and virtual meetings for the entire week with seven reflections based on the UN special days.  Indeed such a ‘Prayer’ campaign is an urgent necessity to inform the world that food insecurity is sin caused by unjust systems and practices of the society especially at the pandemic period!

It is a call to the entire society to campaign for just-production, just-consumption, and just-distribution on the basis of needs, necessity and equality along with practicing and promoting socially, environmentally sustainable agriculture. The Gospel imperative is that we all work together, irrespective of caste, creed, faith, ideology and philosophies to change the unjust practices, structures and systems of our society.

We request you to kindly use this worship resources and reflection, publish and disseminate the same among your congregations and net-works and encourage them to join the campaign by observing the Week of Action for Food from 11 – 17 October 2018. We also urge you to observe Food Justice Sunday on 18th October 2018 in your respective congregations. Also join the webinars organised by the WCC and PCUSA and others.

Please https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/documents/prayer-for-the-churches-week-of-action-on-food-2020

Please CLICK  Ten Commandments on Food Poster

Other resources… https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/documents/prayer-for-the-churches-week-of-action-on-food-2020

Yours in Solidarity

Rev. Dr. Omega Chilufya Bula

Convenor

Life Enhancing Agriculture Working Group

Rev. Dr. Seong Won Park

Moderator

Oikotree-Global