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Anglicans laud UN WFP Nobel Prize

The Anglican Consultative Council has welcomed this year’s Nobel Peace Prize for the United Nations World Food Programme(WFP) and called for better UN partnerships with faith-based organisations to help deliver food security.

Gavin Drake | Taonga News  |  13 Oct 2020  |

The Anglican Communion has welcomed the Nobel Peace Prize that recognises the crucial work of the UN World Food Programme.

“I am delighted to congratulate the World Food Programme on being awarded the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict.” said the Anglican Consultative Council’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Mr Jack Palmer-White. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic is not simply a health crisis. It has had a profound impact on other basic and fundamental rights that all people should enjoy,” he said. 

“The impact of the pandemic on global food security and the right to food is deeply concerning, particularly where it has exacerbated existing vulnerabilities and has pushed communities to the brink of famine.”

Jack Palmer-White reported that an estimated 821 million people go to bed hungry every night all over the world. Without the work of the World Food Programme, millions more people would die of hunger. 

“Sadly, there is still a significant funding gap between what the World Food Programme needs to support those who are hungry around the world, and what UN member states and international financial institutions have pledged to fund.”

“If we are to achieve the second of the Sustainable Development Goals – to reach zero hunger around the world – we all need to do more to provide the finance, technical support and political will to make this possible.”

Mr Palmer-White reminded Anglicans that as Christians, we have an unequivocal biblical mandate in Matthew 25 to feed the hungry. Right across the Anglican Communion, there are countless programmes and initiatives seeking to tackle hunger in its different contexts.

“A closer working relationship between faith actors and the World Food Programme can be a blessing to the world, and I encourage the World Food Programme to work more intentionally with faith communities across the world, for the benefit of those most in need.” he said.

The award was also welcomed by the Anglican Alliance, a charity established following the Lambeth Conference of Anglican bishops in 2008 to facilitate and coordinate the work of the global network of Anglican relief and development agencies.

The Executive Director of the Anglican Alliance, the Revd Rachel Carnegie, offered her “warmest congratulations” to the World Food Programme.

“This is worthy recognition of the courageous and compassionate role that WFP plays across the world in bringing food, assistance and, above all, hope to nearly 100 million people in communities facing conflict, insecurity, poverty, and the brutal daily trauma of hunger.” she said.

Rachel Carnegie reported that Anglicans have connected with WFP over many years, in places such as South Sudan, where their food and logistics assistance has brought direct support and human dignity to communities devastated by conflict. 

With COVID-19, she says the service WFP brings to the world has never been more needed as the terrible impact of the pandemic increases inequality and vulnerability and drives millions into poverty and hunger.

“We have valued engaging with WFP at this time to focus on restarting school feeding programmes to enable children to return to school and recover normality and safety in their lives.”

Rev Rachel said the UN World Food Programme’s mission to feed the hungry resonates profoundly with our faith calling.

“At this time of crisis, it is our earnest hope that the Nobel Peace Prize will draw global attention to the essential value of WFP’s work and ensure that it secures the resources needed to achieve our shared global goal of ending hunger by 2030.”

This year Anglican churches in Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia were able to support food security for Pacific communities struggling with income loss due to Covid-19 through the Anglican Missions Diocese of Polynesia Appeal. While the initial appeal has now closed, Anglican Missions is still directing donations to the Diocese of Polynesia for Pacific communities continuing to run low on food and missing incomes due to Covid-19.

Anglicans in Aotearoa New Zealand can also support food security by donating funds to provide:

: : Food for people displaced by conflict in South Sudan through the Christian World Service South Sudan Appeal (tax deductible)

: : Food parcels for Syrian and Palestinian people seeking refuge in Jordan through the Christian World Service Coronavirus Emergency Appeal(tax deductible)

: : Food parcels for your local City Mission or Anglican Social Services organisation to help New Zealanders struggling to feed their families.

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