According to a UN report, for the third year in a row, there has been a rise in world hunger. The number of undernourished people has increased, returning to levels from almost a decade ago, and putting the Zero Hunger Development Goal at risk by 2030. More than 820 million people suffer from hunger and more than 150 million children experience delays in growth because of it. This is why pasta makers from all over the world have committed themselves to the “Power of Pasta,” a global charity initiative donating about 2 million pasta plates to local organizations involved in the fight against hunger. They will join together at this year’s World Pasta Day on Oct. 25 in Dubai to renew this commitment.
Celebrity chef Bruno Serato is an ambassador for the “The Power of Pasta” initiative. He will attend World Pasta Day 2018 to introduce the global charity initiative and talk about the importance of social responsibility.
Chef Serato, who worked his way up from busboy to owner of the acclaimed Anaheim White House restaurant in California, founded Caterina’s Club, a nonprofit organization inspired by his mother, Caterina, that serves 4,000 warm nutritional meals to underprivileged children every single night. For his humanitarian work, he has received many honors including being named a CNN Hero, knighted by the Italian government, and inducted into the 2018 Honors List of Individuals by His Royal Highness of Savoy.
“Everyone loves pasta. It’s an amazing food with great nutrition for everyone and can be mixed with every other food available on this planet — making it the best of the best, and very affordable for everyone,” said Chef Serato. “Pasta also does not damage the planet. There is nothing better than sharing a plate of pasta around a table. It makes everyone smile and inspires great conversation. I even wrote to Pope Francis suggesting every religious leader get together to eat pasta and make peace around the world.”
Here are details about the initiatives of some of the Power of Pasta participating countries:
BELGIUM: Pasta maker Soubry in Belgium will donate pasta to Restos du Coeur, which distributes food packages and hot meals to the needy. In Belgium, Restos du Coeur provides 670,000 free meals and 250,000 food packages to people in need in Belgium. In addition, they opened 15 restaurants where people can come together and enjoy a warm and healthy meal and pay a symbolic amount of money. Restos du Coeur and Soubry share the same values: “provide healthy food and bring people together.”
BRAZIL: The Brazilian Manufacturers Association of Biscuit, Pasta and Industrialized Bread & Cakes (ABIMAPI) will join in the Power of Pasta initiative by donating pasta to the NGO Banco de Alimentos, created in 1998 in São Paulo as the pioneering initiative of the economist Luciana Quintão. Inspired by the idea of reducing food waste in industry and commerce, and distributing the surplus to social institutions, the NGO carries out an Urban Harvest that enables quality food supplementation for more than 20,000 people every day.
CHILE: Chilean pasta maker Carozzi supported, amongst others, three local charities for the Power of Pasta initiative: Miradas Compartidas Foundation, a non-profit organization that works to improve the quality of life of people with intellectual disabilities through entertainment and recreation activities; Ganémosle a la Calle Foundation, a non-profit foundation that seeks to encourage the practice of sport in vulnerable sectors of society, to keep young people and children away from the street and the risks associated with it; and Misión de María Corporation, a non-profit institution that welcomes children between birth and 3 years of age who have been abused or abandoned or who enter as a result of protection measures ordered by the Family Courts for being at-risk.
ITALY: 2018 has been announced the “Year of Zayed,” in honor of the 100th anniversary of the birth of the late founding father of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahayan. In participation with the UAE community, and in recognition of the 20th Anniversary of World Pasta Day being held in Dubai, the Italian General Consulate in Dubai, in collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency-Dubai, and AIDEPI, the Italian Pasta Manufacturers Association, will make a pasta donation to Emirates Red Crescent which was founded in 1983 with the support of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahayan. The main objective of Emirates Red Crescent is to carry out Red Cross operations on a systematic basis throughout the UAE. AIDEPI will also make a pasta donation to CARITAS Italiana, which has been receiving pasta donations regularly in the last years. The Italian Caritas is the charitable arm of the Italian Bishop’s Conference. Its purpose is to promote “the testimony of charity in the Italian ecclesiastical community, in forms that are appropriate to the times and needs, for integral human development, social justice and peace, with special attention to the poor and primary pedagogical functions.”
MEXICO: With Chef Ambassador Alfredo Oropeza, pasta maker La Moderna in Mexico donated pasta to the Food Bank of the State of Mexico which was founded in 2006 to improve the nutrition conditions of its population in food poverty. The Food Bank collects, selects and distributes food from the companies, supply centers and greenhouses which are no longer marketable but are 100% edible, to provide it to families that are food handicapped. This is achieved thanks to the commitment of all sectors of society.
TURKEY: Among other charities, the members of the Turkish Pasta Manufacturers Association MUSAD supported LÖSEV a non-profit NGO, mainly aiming to provide educational and emotional support, financial assistance and health services for children who have leukemia or chronic blood disorders, in order to help them cope with a life-threatening illness. Other goals are to promote knowledge and provide instruction on an international level regarding acquired and inherited blood diseases, as well as establish and operate research institutions.
For more information, please visit http://2018.worldpastaday.org and www.pastaforall.info.
