The world is gearing up to mark the International Food Loss and Waste Awareness Day on September 29th, a day dedicated to addressing the critical issue of food loss and waste (FLW). Recognising that this challenge needs the collective efforts of experts and stakeholders from various fields, the Valencia World Sustainable Urban Food Centre (CEMAS), in collaboration with the European Food Information Council (EUFIC), will host the high-level event “A multi-stakeholder perspective on food loss and food waste reduction strategies” on October 3rd in Valencia.
This high-level event presents a timely opportunity to advance the EU's commitment to reducing food waste and drive progress toward a more sustainable food system. Held as a prelude of Valencia European Green Capital 2024 and with an emphasis on the key role of cities in defining policies against FLW, it aims to bring together stakeholders from universities, civil society, local, regional, national, and European authorities, city networks, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for a day of knowledge sharing and awareness raising.
Eminent research figures in the FLW sector, such as Dr. Felicitas Schneider from the Institute of Market Analysis at the Thünen Institute, Sanne Stroosnijder, manager of the Food Loss and Waste Prevention Program at Wageningen University & Research, and Gyula Kasza, coordinator of the Hungarian National Food Waste Prevention Program, will take part to the programme. Additionally, representatives from leading city networks and political delegates from the European Commission, the French, Spanish, Finnish and Turkish Ministry of Agriculture will participate.
Key objectives for the day event include raising awareness about food waste and food waste reduction strategies, promoting collaboration and dialogue across the food value chain, understanding global initiatives and policies and how to replicate them, and fostering concrete commitments to reduce food waste. The event's structure includes morning panel debates and keynote speeches focusing on global, national and local perspectives and afternoon sessions with sector-specific discussions, with room for networking opportunities as well.
You can find the agenda and how to register here.
Please feel free to join us in Valencia or register for the live-streamed morning sessions.
What is EIT Food's role?
Considering the great welcome that Los Salvacomidas has had through its years of life, the project has got the attention of the organisers, who have asked Miriam Sastre, Senior Communications&Events Manager at EIT Food South and creator of Los Salvacomidas, to participate as a panellist in one of the sessions named 'Communication & awareness raising' to talk about the creation and outcomes of Los Salvacomidas.
The Agenda
09.30-10.00 | Institutional Welcome
10.00-11.00 | The Global and European Landscape
11.00-12.00 | Food Loss and Food Waste in National Policies
12.00-12.30 | Networking Coffee
12.30-13.30 | City Networs and Their Key Role Tackling Food Loss and Waste
13.30 - 15.00 | Lunch Break
15.00 - 16.10 | Sectorial Discussion Groups
16.15 - 17.20 | Plenary
17:20 - 17:30 | Closing and Acknowledgement