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2016 Borlaug Dialogue: “Let Food Be Thy Medicine”
Des Moines, Iowa (October 10, 2016) – As we celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Dr. Norman E. Borlaug establishing the World Food Prize, our 2016 conference will convene a fantastic array of international leaders, policy makers, farmers, executives from agribusiness and non-governmental organizations, and scientific, academic and development experts to address the most critical issues facing global food security on October 12-14 in Des Moines, Iowa, USA.
The full agenda and speaker list can be found at www.worldfoodprize.org/borlaugdialogue. All sessions will also be webcast live from www.worldfoodprize.org/live.
This year’s Borlaug Dialogue will be held at the Downtown Marriott Hotel in Des Moines.
Highlighted speakers this year will include:
- H. E. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, President of Mauritius
- H. E. Dr. Joyce Banda, Former President of Malawi
- Dr. Jim Yong Kim, President, World Bank Group
- H. E. Akinwumi A. Adesina, President, African Development Bank Group
In addition, there will be a discussion with the 2016 World Food Prize Laureates – Maria Andrade, Howarth Bouis, Jan Low, and Robert Mwanga, with presenter Roger Voorhies.
Taking place today, The Iowa Hunger Summit is a free event gathering several hundred leaders from across Iowa representing community organizations, business and industry, state and local government, social agencies, churches and religious communities, schools and universities, and other groups that lead or participate in projects to confront hunger. The day will include Morning Presentations on Hunger, Nutrition, and Child Development, The State of Hunger in Iowa, and AmeriCorps VISTA: Impacting Hunger in Iowa; a Hunger Luncheon featuring meals from the Iowa humanitarian group Outreach, Inc.; the presentation of the “Robert D. Ray Iowa SHARES Award”, which annually recognizes an Iowan who has provided significant leadership confronting hunger at home and abroad; Afternoon workshops providing in-depth conversation on topics of interest and practical tools for taking the fight against hunger to the next level; Meal packaging shifts throughout the day; and a full room of exhibits featuring Iowan organizations and initiatives working to end hunger. The event is open to the public, but guests must register to attend. See the full agenda at www.worldfoodprize.org/hsagenda.
Additional events surrounding the 2016 Borlaug Dialogue will include:
- Iowa Hunger Summit, October 10: This free event gathers several hundred leaders from across Iowa representing community organizations, business and industry, state and local government, social agencies, churches and religious communities, schools and universities, and other groups that lead or participate in projects to confront hunger.
- Reception for the Borlaug Field Award for Research and Application, Endowed by the Rockefeller Foundation (Oct 12, 5:30 pm): This event honors a scientist under the age of 40 who emulates Dr. Borlaug. This event is open to the media.
- Laureate Award Ceremony (October 13): This year’s Laureates, Drs. Maria Andrade, Robert Mwanga, Jan Low, and Howarth Bouis, will be honored and officially awarded the World Food Prize. The Laureate Award Ceremony has limited space, so will have limited media access. If you are interested in covering the event, please note your interest on your registration form. Media granted access will be notified the week of events and can pick up their credentials in the Press Room at the Marriott. The ceremony is also shown live on Iowa Public Television and via webcast.
- Iowa Farm Tours (Oct 14, afternoon): Organized by the Iowa Soybean Association, this event will provide an opportunity for international and national guests to travel to a working Iowa farm during harvest. This event is open to the media.
- Global Youth Institute (October 15 at DuPont Pioneer): Each year, more than 200 exceptional high school students and their teachers from across the United States and other countries are selected to participate in the World Food Prize Global Youth Institute. At this inspiring event, the next generation presents and discusses their solutions to global food security challenges with a "faculty panel" of international experts and their peers, connects with other students from around the world, tours cutting-edge industrial and research facilities, and takes part in discussions with global leaders in science, industry and policy. This event is open to the media.
THE WORLD FOOD PRIZE was created in 1986 by Nobel Peace Prize recipient Dr. Norman Borlaug. It is the foremost international award recognizing individuals whose achievements have advanced human development by increasing the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world. The prize was endowed by the Ruan family of Des Moines, Iowa. Businessman John Ruan III now serves as chairman of the Foundation and Ambassador Kenneth M. Quinn, former U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia is the president of the organization. A Selection Committee of experts from around the world oversees the nomination and selection process, and is chaired by Prof. M.S. Swaminathan of India, who was also honored as the first World Food Prize Laureate. Other past Prize winners include former President of Ghana, John Kufour; U.S. Senators Bob Dole and George McGovern; Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus; Professor Yuan Longping of China and former Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme Catherine Bertini.
ABOUT THE IOWA HUNGER SUMMIT: The Iowa Hunger Summit is a grassroots event, free and open to the public, which gathers Iowa citizens fighting hunger for a day of workshops, keynote speakers and a Hunger Luncheon, where guests sample meals used by organizations in hunger-fighting efforts at home and abroad. For more information, please visit www.iowahungersummit.org.
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