Rome (Italy) – During the opening of the World Summit on Food Security, in Rome, the Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, called for greater involvement from all of the international community in fighting hunger. The president claimed that the expenditures made by wealthy countries on helping their economic systems during the crisis would have been more than enough for eradicating hunger worldwide. Lula spoke for international cooperation and asked for commitment from developed countries in addressing the problem.
“The fight against hunger remains virtually excluded from the collective action of governments. It is as if hunger was invisible. Many seem to have lost the ability to be shocked by suffering when takes place so far from their realities and lives,” said Lula in his address.
He stated that he was one of the Brazilians who left their region of birth in order to flee from hunger. “In my life I have experienced hunger, poverty and social exclusion.” The president told the leaders at the meeting about the Brazilian programs that are achieving success in reducing the number of malnourished people. Among them, he mentioned the Family Purse (income distribution program), Luz para Todos (for electric power), the National Program for Strengthening Family Farming (Pronaf), and the National School Nutrition Program (Pnae).
“The experiences in Brazil and other countries show that first of all, facing the problem of hunger requires will and political determination. These programs have enabled Brazil to rescue 20.4 million people from poverty, and reduce child malnutrition by 62%,” he informed.
Lula said that historically, Brazilians have been excluded from society by a model of growth that “perpetuated inequality.”
“The economy was organized so as to cater to only 60% of the Brazilians, leaving the remainder to fend for itself. Millions of human beings were regarded as a disturbance,” said the president in his address.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
