Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - Caritas organisations around the world are taking part in a "Week of Action" from October 12 to 19, to end hunger by 2025. Highlights of the week include a video message from Pope Francis calling on Catholics to get behind the Caritas "One Human Family, Food for All" campaign. As reported in the statement sent to Fides Agency, it is the first ever global campaign by the 160 Caritas national organisations, who have made ending world hunger their priority.
Caritas activities will take place in more than 50 countries. They include events in support of poor farmers, actions against unjust laws that harm small holders, and families sharing their experiences of getting food on the table.
A goal of the campaign is to put pressure on governments to ensure that the rights of farmers, particularly women farmers, are recognized by the law, in order to put an end to food speculation and to combat child malnutrition .
Among the key events: in Malawi, Caritas will bring messages to government leaders about legal changes that would help farmers; Caritas Pakistan is holding a cooking competition for women who have grown their own food as part of Caritas programmes; in Sri Lanka, parishes will hold community meals with the poor; Dioceses in Panama will approach the government about the right to food; in Japan, Caritas has run a programme that fights food waste at home while helping buy seeds for farmers in East Africa; in Canada, Catholics are urged to sign a petition supporting the rights of small family farmers to use, save, and exchange their seeds; in Italy, Cyprus and Bangladesh, Caritas will be part of hunger runs. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 07/10/2014)
