HAFL returns to Rome

The annual World Food Forum (WFF) in Rome starts today. HAFL Food, Nutrition and Health MSc student Daphne Wabule and Agricultural Science MSc students Célia Bühler, Emerson Carias and Quentin à Hauariki are ready to tackle this year’s theme: Good food for all, for today and tomorrow.

This is the first time HAFL’s youth delegation will conduct a side event workshop, organised in conjunction with young people from ETH Zurich and three of Switzerland’s federal offices. The workshop is part of the WFF Global Youth Action forums.

Capitalising on an opportunity

Led by Célia, the fourteen-strong Swiss group’s workshop “YP09 – Beyond the price tag: Let’s talk about the true cost of food” will be held on Wednesday – World Food Day 2024 – from  4–5pm at FAO Headquarters and online.

The workshop contributes to current efforts in uncovering the hidden health, economic, environmental, and social costs of agrifood systems. As the only returning member from last year’s HAFL delegation, Célia had a clear vision of how to maximise opportunities at this year’s week-long event.

“At our first WFF event last year, the HAFL team went with an explorative and curious mindset,” Célia said. “The four of us were very motivated to bring back insights to share with colleagues.

“One conclusion from last year was that we lacked connections with other Swiss delegates before the event, so this year we have remedied that by co-organising the side event and creating a “Swiss team spirit”. We’ve also arranged a meeting with Krisztina Bende, ambassador of the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations organisations in Rome.

“So, we’re going to Rome with the same enthusiasm as last year, and have added some proactivity, collaboration, networking, and strategy. That is what experiences are made for: to improve and grow.”
 

Roles and expectations

Thousands of people attend the WFF. For Daphne and Quentin, it will be their first time at a conference of this scale.

“I hope my general curiosity and willingness to learn will help me handle such a large event and enjoy it,” Daphne said. “I’m excited to engage with other people about the topic of agrifood systems, and to learn about their experiences, ideas, opinions, and challenges. I expect to learn a lot and also to have my ideas challenged … and my mind changed.”

“I’m really looking forward to it!” said Quentin. “My task at our side event is to conduct an icebreaker between the introduction and the keynote presentations. This requires a good understanding of the subject, and I'll try to add a touch of humour. After the main presentations, the attendees will be divided into group work, and I’ll also help facilitate the groups and the process.”

Emerson, who attended the IC Forum in Basel earlier this year and is prepared for the craziness of such a large-scale conference, also looks forward to helping run the side event, plus networking with international attendees.

“My role at our workshop will be to encourage meaningful dialogue and collaboration among participants,” Emerson said. “Overall, from the whole event, I hope to gain a deeper, global understanding of how SDGs are being addressed in food security. This knowledge will help shape future strategies and collaborations in the field. This event will foster valuable conversations that bridge research and policy. I expect to engage with both academic and policy-maker leaders from around the world.”
 

Workshop on World Food Day

The side event workshop has taken the Swiss delegation months to prepare. They secured two keynote speakers – Agathe Crosnier (PhD candidate EPFL, working on the project TRUE-COST-CH) and Aslihan Arslan (FAO economist and specialist on the True Cost of Food approach). Célia said taking on the coordinator’s role – a first for her – has taught her a lot about how to organise a group and motivate all players to have an aligned vision.

“Now I look forward to seeing the workshop come to life and interacting with the participants and speakers,” Célia said. “The whole process was a team effort, and I’m excited to see us work as a team in Rome as well.

“During the WFF, the FAO is a true “beehive” and there is so much going on everywhere. From time to time, I really enjoy being in such an intense and active environment. It’s challenging and takes a lot of energy, but it also gives back a lot. By meeting and exchanging with so many dedicated young people, I feel deeply inspired and motivated to set up projects and foster partnerships at HAFL and in Switzerland.”

Célia hopes this year will be another step in the right direction of the FAO “walking the talk” on shaping agrifood systems for a better future. The breadth of topics covered could be considered both inspiring and overwhelming.

“I hope to get insights on new topics, or new perspectives on well-known topics,” Célia said. “I think both aspects are relevant, and we sometimes need people who dare to speak out loud with a different vision to move the debates forward; especially at international conferences, where I sometimes feel that the script was written beforehand, which can be frustrating.

“Last year I noticed that even though “youth” was a buzz word, young people were not given sufficient presence on stage. I know we can’t initiate a revolution in a year, but I hope that young people will have more speaking time during the official sessions, will be truly listened to, and will gradually gain responsibilities in decision-making.”
 

Making connections, strengthening ties

As Switzerland’s YPARD representative, Célia has some wise words and a clear message about the benefits of young researchers attending conferences and networking with people who are key players, and inspirations, in their fields.

“A core aspect of the WFF for me is to make connections with new people, to reconnect with people I met last year, and to get inspired!” she said. “Inspiration is a powerful fuel to keep us going; to keep us motivated to invest our time to make a change. We are not paid for it – we do it because we are passionate and believe that what we do there and afterward has a meaning.

“But this also has its limits, and young people are often supposed to be simply happy to participate on a voluntary basis. With studies, often part-time jobs and different challenges, it’s not always easy to stay motivated. Therefore, our networks play a crucial role. Others can support us, save us some time, connect us with others, and cheer us up when we need it the most. And this benefits us all in the end. We all aim for a greater impact, and we can only achieve it through cooperation. I am convinced of that.”

Take part, watch online for free

Register for free online attendance at WFF so you can watch the Swiss workshop live! “YP09 – Beyond the price tag: Let’s talk about the true cost of food” will be held on Wednesday 16 October from 4–5pm and streamed live on Zoom.

After the HAFL delegation returns from Rome, they plan to share their insights and takeaways in a follow-up story, and also conduct a Brown Bag Lunch on Wednesday 4 December from 12-1pm in room B.3.09.

---
Text by Angela Wade

LinkedIn profiles:

• Célia Bühler
• Daphne Wabule
• Emerson Carias
• Quentin à Hauariki