NewsFood.com

Rome - Thousands of children who know what it feels like to be hungry took to the streets yesterday, together with caring citizens, in a worldwide walk to raise awareness about child hunger, from Indonesia to Guatemala, more than 250,000 people in 70 countries participated in End Hunger: Walk the World, an event organised by the World Food Programme together with its largest corporate partners, TNT and Unilever.

The Walk took place as world leaders gathered in Rome for a High-Level Conference on World Food Security, 3-5 June 2008. «Walk the World delivers a strong message that hungry children in school should not be forgotten, especially in this time of high food prices and hardship,» said WFP's Deputy Executive Director, John Powell, adding that WFP was grateful to everyone who participated in the event, including its corporate partners.

Across 24 time zones and in more than 250 locations, initial reports indicate the global walk raised more than $500,000 --enough to feed two million children for one day-- through WFP's school feeding programme. The number is expected to increase significantly in the weeks to come.

«Walk the World is the event to raise awareness for all the children who suffer from hunger every day,» said Peter Bakker, CEO of TNT. «At TNT we believe that hunger is not acceptable in today's world. I am proud that so many TNT employees, their families and friends on all continents of the world have actively taken part in this Walk to show their solidarity and to raise funds to give these children the daily meal they deserve.»

The walk showcased the many faces of hunger across the globe. In Malawi, more than 50,000 people walked in 13 districts, most of them schoolchildren who receive WFP meals. The King of Swaziland joined thousands in the capital, Mbabane. Tanzania had walks in six locations across the country, with over 12,000 participants including the First Lady and Prime Minister.

Indonesia's colourful walk of 12,000 participants was opened by the coordinating Minister for Welfare and WFP National Ambassador Against Hunger, Luna Maya, and followed by a concert featuring popular bands.

Guatemala, a country where approximately half of all children are chronically malnourished, kicked off its Walk on May 14th with the support of WFP Honorary Spokesperson Lauren Bush, with a turn-out of over 20,000 people. Honduras saw the participation of more than 30,000 in Tegucigalpa, and San Pedro Sula.

Under the patronage of HRH Princess Basma, Chairperson of the Jordanian National Alliance Against Hunger, 8,000 participants walked five kilometres across the campus of the University of Jordan on May 12th in support of Walk the World. In Egypt, the event was held under the auspices of the First Lady.

Walks also took place in 25 European countries in 70 locations around landmarks such as Windsor Castle in the UK, Cologne Cathedral in Germany, Plac Pilsudskiego in Poland and the Little Mermaid monument in Denmark.

«I am very proud that employees across all regions unite and actively engage to raise awareness of child hunger and malnourishment,» said Doug Baillie, Unilever's President west Europe.

«End Hunger: Walk the World» evolved from an initiative of TNT employees in Asia in 2003, with Unilever joining as an organiser in 2007. Over the past five years, the event has mobilized approximately one million participants and raised funds to feed over 100,000 children in school for one year.