Kiwis to Walk for Famine Relief on UN World Food Day

7 October 2011

Hiking For Africa: Kiwis to Walk for Famine Relief on UN World Food Day

With the eyes of global rugby fans fixed firmly on New Zealand for the next six weeks, philanthropic Kiwis are hosting an outdoor event of another stripe – a five-kilometre charity hike through central Auckland to fundraise for a famine-relief programme in Mozambique, the world’s poorest nation.

This year, for the first time, New Zealand joins the ranks of countries supporting hike4hunger, an international, community-led initiative that aims to raise awareness about the ongoing global hunger crisis, build solidarity behind those afflicted by hunger and encourage new behaviours in both the privileged and underprivileged worlds to close the gap.

In 2010, 13 countries around the world were involved in hike4hunger’s annual commemoration of UN World Food Day, which falls on Sunday 16 October 2011. This year the organization is aiming for 20 participating nations and a fundraising goal of NZ$160,000 (AU$125,000).

The funds will be distributed by hike4hunger’s charity partner The Hunger Project, and will be used to empower more than 27,000 women, men and children to become self-reliant and provide a better future for their community in Mozambique. Click here to read more about the Mozambique programme.

Each year, hike4hunger commemorates the UN World Food Day on 16 October by coordinating day hikes, school awards and multi-day pilgrimages and treks and encouraging others to get involved.

In New Zealand, the 2011 day hike will follow a five-kilometre route that starts and finishes at the Auckland War Memorial Museum band rotunda and proceeds through Grafton, Myers Park, Aotea Square and Albert Park. The hike will commence at 9am and be followed by a closing ceremony beginning at 10.30am.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) 2008, the world produces enough food to feed every existing person – in fact, enough to feed 12 billion people.

Meanwhile, the World Food Programme reports that there are more hungry people in the world (925,000,000, or one in seven of the global population) than the combined populations of the US, Canada and European Union (841,000,000). Hunger is the world’s number one health risk, killing more people annually than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis together.

hike4hunger co-founder Simon Lewis says, “Our 2011 campaign message is simple: every time you think ‘What will we have for dinner tonight?’ consider the families all over the developing world that don't know where their next meal will come from. They are thinking ‘Will there be any dinner tonight?’

“We hope that amidst the rugby fever, the opportunity to contribute to famine relief with a Sunday-morning hike around the city will appeal to both residents of and visitors to Auckland.”

The Hunger Project New Zealand country director Charlotte Reynolds says, “While hunger is not just an issue in developing nations – it is widespread and there is a growing problem here in New Zealand – the scale of the current famine in east Africa serves to highlight the vast disparity between wealthy and poor nations. Ending hunger is a practical necessity – it is central to resolving issues such as population growth, war and environmental destruction, which threaten the quality of life of all people.”

hike4hunger is also encouraging schools to sign up for the hike and be eligible to win one of two AU$5,000 school awards. To register a school, go to the School Award Page on the hike4hunger website.

Would-be participants can send an email to contact@hike4hunger.org or h4hnz@thp.org to join the Auckland hike.

Visit hike4hunger at www.hike4hunger.org or The Hunger Project at www.thp.org.nz to learn more. You can also view a short video of hike4hunger here: http://youtu.be/X_6rKft1YGI

The details:

What: The hike4hunger Auckland hike for UN World Food Day starts at the Auckland War Memorial War Museum band rotunda, goes through Grafton to Myers Park, Aotea Square and Albert Park and ends back at the Auckland War Memorial Museum band rotunda for the closing ceremonies.

When: Sunday 16 October 2011 (rain date: Saturday 22 October)

Registration of Participants: 8.30am to 8.45am

Kick-off Ceremony: 8.45am to 9am

Hike: 9am to 10.15 am
(The walk should take the average person 45-60 minutes to complete, but extra time is given for slower walkers, families, elderly and late starters)

Closing Ceremony: 10.30am to 11.00am

ENDS

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