New World Food Safety Day Report highlights a year-round effort to promote and ensure safe food for all
On 7 September 2021 WHO and FAO jointly released the annual World Food Safety Day report highlighting around 300 different events organized around the world on the occasion of World Food Safety Day (7 June 2021). Celebrations were held in 90 countries by international organizations, governments, businesses, non-governmental organizations, academics and individuals.
The third World Food Safety Day was a reminder of the importance of global collaboration to advance work on food safety. This year’s celebrations were held predominantly online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but they sparked creativity and connectivity. The summary report takes a glimpse at the webinars, videos, press conferences, media coverage, contests, social media posts and campaigns that involved millions of people across the world in May and June 2021 under the theme of ‘Safe food now for a heathy tomorrow’.
In an article focusing on the regions of Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Central Asia and the Near East and North Africa, the report details how food safety is everyone’s business. It showcases a variety of stakeholders who convened to demonstrate their achievements, discuss priorities and plan how to overcome challenges in the area of food safety.
World Food Safety Day has been celebrated annually by the United Nations since 2019. It aims to draw attention and inspire action to help prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks, contributing to food security, human health, economic prosperity, agriculture, market access, tourism and sustainable development. Through World Food Safety Day, WHO works to mainstream food safety in the public agenda and reduce the burden of foodborne diseases globally. Continued efforts to prioritize food safety globally are crucial to ensure all people can enjoy safe food.
