FAO holds global ceremony marking World Food Day 2024 in Rome

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) held a commemorative event for World Food Day at its headquarters in Rome on Wednesday, with the FAO head underscoring that access to sufficient food is a fundamental human right.

The global event was themed "Right to Food for a Better Life and a Better Future: Leave No One Behind."

Despite advancements in agricultural practices, approximately 733 million people worldwide are still facing hunger. This staggering statistic translates to one in every 11 individuals lacking adequate nutrition, according to reports from the World Food Programme and other international organizations.

"I am calling on all of us to renew our commitment of building more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable agrifood systems that can nourish the world. Let us remember that there cannot be food security without peace. Peace is a prerequisite for food security, and the right to food is a basic human right," Qu Dongyu, the FAO Director-General said in his opening remarks.

As part of World Food Week, which runs from this Monday to Friday, the FAO is hosting a series of events, including the World Food Forum, an exhibition marking the 80th anniversary of the FAO, and the Junior World Food Week focused on food security awareness. Additionally, hundreds of events are scheduled worldwide, aimed at mobilizing action from various sectors to ensure food security for all.

FAO holds global ceremony marking World Food Day 2024 in Rome

The China-Laos Railway saw a surge in cross-border passenger traffic during the recently concluded Spring Festival holiday, China Railway Kunming Group Co. said on Wednesday.

During the nine-day holiday, which lasted from Feb. 15 to Feb. 23, the China-Laos Railway handled 12,900 cross-border trips, which was a 41.8 percent year-on-year increase. The figure included over 6,300 inbound passengers, up 52.7 percent, and over 6,500 outbound passengers, a rise of 32.5 percent.

Stretching 1,035 kilometers from Kunming in southwest China's Yunnan Province to the Lao capital of Vientiane, the China-Laos Railway commenced operations on Dec. 3, 2021. To meet growing demand for cross-border travel, international passenger train services between Kunming and Vientiane were introduced on April 13, 2023.

Connecting more than 560 tourist destinations, the China-Laos Railway serves as a premier cross-border travel route, having facilitated cross-border trips for more than 700,000 tourists from 124 countries and regions.

China-Laos Railway reports surge in cross-border passenger traffic during Spring Festival holiday