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PUSH Hunger Forum and Signing Ceremony

New York, December 9, 2014: The Global Partnerships Forum is proud to support the Presidents United to Solve Hunger (PUSH) Initiative which links University Presidents together with the common goal of inspiring young people to work towards an end to world hunger.  Amir Dossal, Chairman of the GPF, was honoured to participate in the panel at the recent PUSH Event sponsored by Auburn University’s Hunger Solutions Institute.  The Hunger Forum and Public Signing Ceremony invited University Presidents, their representatives, students, and Leaders of the fight to solve the issue of world hunger, to discuss possible roads to action and hear from other perspectives.

Amina J Mohammed, Special Advisor of the Secretary-General on Post-2015 Development Planning, spoke on behalf of H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, on the importance of new ideas and partnerships that would give students responsibility for the future of this crucial issue.

While introducing those participating in the signing ceremony, Peter McPherson, President of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, highlighted the significance of investing in advanced technology that will allow for the production of the quantities of food that will be required to sustain the increased 2030 population.

The Panel focused on concrete plans to engage students and to increase momentum towards a global hunger solution.  The panel was moderated by Catherine Woteki, Under Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture, who laid out a few of the obstacles, such as; reliable access to food, limits in agricultural science and farmer opportunity, and funding for research projects, as some of the topics of discussion.  Mr. Dossal spoke about the University’s obligation to use their direct access to students to inspire and motivate them to actively take on future and current world issues.  The other panelists, Christine Gould, Founder, Thought for Food; Lori Silverbush, Filmmaker and Co-producer, “A Place at the Table”; and Brady Deaton, Chancellor Emeritus, University of Missouri and Chair BIFAD spoke of their incredible personal experiences and their work in the field. 

Josette Sheeran, President, Asia Society, facilitated the attendee participation portion and began with some thought provoking facts, there is “no issue that unites humanity more powerfully than the issue of hunger, and there’s no issue that has touched every human being as profoundly as hunger, and there is no issue that has driven human history as profoundly as the pursuit of food security.”  She then opened up the floor to the audience and the entire chamber benefited from the perspectives of the vast range of participants and left with a new commitment to solving this world wide issue.

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