FAO Appoints Thai Royalty as Zero Hunger Special Ambassador

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) announced that Her Royal Highness, Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand, has agreed to represent the FAO as a Special Ambassador for Zero Hunger.

The announcement was made during a special presentation to the Princess at a ceremony marking the 36th World Food Day at FAO's Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok.

Achieving zero hunger by 2030 is one of the goals listed in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 2) that have been agreed by the international community with FAO as the UN 'custodian' agency for the zero hunger program.

"The acceptance of Her Royal Highness to represent the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization as a Special Ambassador for Zero Hunger will greatly improve awareness of both policy makers and the public of what, collectively, we must do to achieve a world without hunger," said Kundhavi Kadiresan, Assistant Director-General and FAO Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific.

Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has long been a champion of projects to end hunger and improve nutrition in Thailand and also in other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Lao PDR and Timor Leste.

Her years of devotion in fighting against hunger and support for improvements to nutrition was the FAO's Director General Jose Graziano da Silva main concern for appointing the Princess as the FAO's Special Ambassador for Zero Hunger.

MAHINDA ARKYASA