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Secretary of State John Kerry to Give Keynote Address
June 17, 2013 -- The World Food Prize Foundation will announce the winners of the prestigious 2013 World Food Prize during the Laureate Announcement Ceremony at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, June 19, at 12:30 p.m. EDT. The $250,000 World Food Prize is known as “the Nobel Prize for food and agriculture” and is the foremost international award recognizing an individual who has enhanced human development by improving the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world.
Secretary of State John Kerry will give the keynote address and Ambassador Kenneth M. Quinn, president of the World Food Prize, will announce the names of the 2013 Laureates.
This event is open to the media. It will also be webcast live at http://video.state.gov. After the event, video clips will be available at www.stateondemand.state.gov.
EVENT DETAILS:
When: Wednesday, June 19, at 12:40 p.m. EDT/11:40 CDT. Pre-set time for cameras is 11:15 a.m. from the 23rd Street Entrance Lobby. Final access time for reporters and still photographers is 12:00 p.m. from the 23rd Street Entrance Lobby.
Where: The Benjamin Franklin Room of the Department of State, 2201 C Street NW, Washington, D.C. Media should enter via the 23rd Street entrance.
Why: Hunger, food security and harnessing the science to improve our global resources are among the most pressing matters of our time. New estimates show the global population growing to 9 billion by 2050, and currently 1 in 8 people are hungry. The World Food Prize recognizes and inspires breakthrough achievements in food and agriculture, and strives to shine a spotlight on those making a difference in food security for people around the globe.
Entry: Media must present one of the following for entry: (1) a U.S. government-issued identification card (State Department, White House, Congress, Defense Department, Foreign Press Center), (2) a media-issued photo identity card, or (3) a letter from their employer on letterhead verifying their employment as a journalist, accompanied by official photo identification (driver’s license or passport).
Social Media: @WorldFoodPrize will tweet the event using hashtags #WorldFoodPrize, #Hunger, and #FoodSecurity.
More information, including a biography and photos of the 2013 World Food Prize laureate, will be available online after the announcement, at www.worldfoodprize.org/2013laureates.
Media Inquiries for this event may be directed to:
Megan Forgrave, Director of Communications, The World Food Prize, (515) 229-1705 or mforgrave@worldfoodprize.org;
Kerry Humphrey, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, (202) 647-0677 or EPPDMedia@state.gov; or
Office of Press Relations, U.S. Department of State (202) 647-2492.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The World Food Prize will host several international food security events in Des Moines, Iowa, the week of October 14, and media are invited to attend:
Iowa Hunger Summit, October 15. A free one-day, grassroots event for individuals and organizations working to alleviate hunger at home and abroad.
2013 Borlaug Dialogue – The Next Borlaug Century: Biotechnology, Sustainability and Climate Volatility, October 16-18. Last year, over 1,200 people from 65 countries gathered for this event. International experts, scientists, business and policy leaders, and farmers will come together to address cutting-edge issues in food security and nutrition during what has been called “the premier conference in the world on global agriculture.”
Award Ceremony: The Norman Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application, Endowed by the Rockefeller Foundation, October 16. The second annual $10,000 award will honor an individual under the age of 40 who emulates Dr. Norman Borlaug’s incredible dedication to field research and application.
2013 Laureate Award Ceremony, October 17. Over 800 honored guests will gather as this year’s laureates are honored and officially awarded the World Food Prize at a ceremony and dinner in the magnificent Iowa State Capitol.
World Food Prize Global Youth Institute, October 19. Over 140 high school students and their teachers from across the country will gather to present papers on food security solutions, work with experts and laureates, and participate in interactive activities and field visits. The goal of this program is to inspire the next generation of agricultural scientists and humanitarians.
Other events will include the Laureate Lecture Series at colleges across Iowa, and additional public events. Learn more at www.worldfoodprize.org.
ABOUT THE WORLD FOOD PRIZE: The World Food Prize was founded in 1986 by Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, recipient of the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize. Since then, The World Food Prize has honored outstanding individuals who have made vital contributions to improving the quality, quantity or availability of food throughout the world. Laureates have been recognized from Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Denmark, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Israel, Mexico, Sierra Leone, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United Nations and the United States. The World Food Prize Foundation is based in Des Moines, Iowa, in the United States.
Press Contact:
Megan Forgrave, Director of Communications
515.245.3794 (direct), 515.229.1705 (cell), or mforgrave@worldfoodprize.org
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