Football Against Hunger

Last week it was announced that UNDP Goodwill Ambassadors Ronaldo and Zinédine Zidane were mobilizing their friends to take on the Hamburger Sport-Verein at the Imtech Arena in Hamburg, Germany on 13 December, 2011, with most of the proceeds going towards addressing the ongoing food crisis in the Horn of Africa.

The previous eight Matches Against Poverty have benefited projects in more than 27 developing countries, including recent recovery efforts in the wake of the 2010 Haiti earthquake and Pakistan floods.

Football, with its worldwide appeal and the power to engage massive audiences, presents a unique opportunity to communicate effectively with the public, raising general awareness of the unacceptable levels of hunger in the world.

As we near 16 October, World Food Day, we are reminded of the key role football plays in tackling hunger –

Professional Football Against Hunger

On the Food and Agriculture Organization’s website you can find out more about the Professional Football Against Hunger initiative which includes professional football associations, clubs and players as part of FAO’s 1 Billion Hungry project.

Using their talent and influence, a number football stars have joined Professional Football Against Hunger as Ambassadors to raise public awareness of food security issues and encourage people to join the fight against hunger and malnutrition, making ‘Food for All’ a reality in the near future.

http://www.fao.org/getinvolved/football/en/

Team to end Poverty

A UNDP global communication and partnership initiative designed to involve the general public in anti-poverty actions. 50 celebrities, including Drogba, Ronaldo and Zidane, participate in the initiative and are getting involved in specific anti-poverty activities.

http://www.teamstoendpoverty.org/wq_pages/en/campagne/

Comic book "Score the Goals"

‘SCORE THE GOALS: Teaming Up to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals’ is a 32-page educational comic book featuring 10 football UN Goodwill Ambassadors, who become shipwrecked on an island on their way to playing an ‘all-star’ charity football game.

The comic book is primarily aimed at 8-14 year old children and provides a fun interactive way to help them understand, familiarise and reflect about the eight MDGs.

http://www.un.org/wcm/content/site/sport/comicbook

Additional Links:

Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)
http://www.fao.org/

World Food Day
http://www.fao.org/getinvolved/worldfoodday/en/

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
http://www.un.org/en/events/povertyday/

Match Against Poverty
http://www.beta.undp.org/undp/en/home/ourwork/goodwillambassadors/match_against_poverty.html

Hamburg to host 2011 Match Against Poverty in support of Horn of Africa famine relief
http://www.beta.undp.org/undp/en/home/presscenter/pressreleases/2011/09/26/hamburg-to-host-2011-match-against-poverty-in-support-of-horn-of-africa-famine-relief-.html

Edited: G. Cornwell