UN starts global “Stop the Waste” campaign in UAE

By Angel Chan

DUBAI 10 October 2019: The United Nations World Food Programme, WFP, launched “Stop the Waste”, a global campaign to raise awareness about the huge amounts of edible food that is discarded daily.

As part of the campaign, the WFP office in the UAE held an activation event today hosted by the Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai.

The event, held with the support and presence of the Mariam Hareb Almheiri, Minister of State for Food Security, was attended by the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Representatives of UN agencies, NGOs, celebrity chefs, food bloggers, social media influencers and the media.

“I invite the UAE general public, the food and beverage industry, the hospitality sector and the end consumer in the UAE to join our pledge and commit to reducing food waste. We must act now. #StopTheWaste is an easy entry point to educate people on how they can reduce food waste and make better choices with the food they eat and therefore contribute to reducing world hunger,” said Almheiri.

The World Food Programme has also launched a 30-second animated video as part of the campaign to highlight food waste and solutions to prevent it.

“#StopTheWaste is a campaign that is relevant to everyone involved in the food supply chain from farm to fork. We need to stop wasting food because it is not just about the food produce; it is also about the invested money, labour and resources, such as energy, land, seeds and water that go into producing this food,” said the Director of WFP Office in the UAE and Representative to the GCC Region, Mageed Yahia.

Follow these simple steps to pledge #StopTheWaste: 1. Search your fridge or pantry for a food item that is nearing its expiration date and is safe to eat 2. Snap a selfie with your item (do not forget to eat it) 3. Share your photo on social media using #StopTheWaste and challenge three friends by tagging them in your post 4. Take your pledge one step further by sharing your food waste recipes or host a dinner party and encourage others to do the same.

“Minimising food waste is part of the Jumeirah Group’s ongoing focus on sustainability and we are proud to be a part of this important initiative launched by the WFP and supported by the UAE Ministry of Food Security,” said Chief Culinary Officer at Jumeirah Group, Michael Ellis.