Released on: November 16, 2007, 11:58 pm

Press Release Author: Deepak Gupta

Industry: Advertising

Press Release Summary: Italian actress Maria Grazia Cucinotta, Ambassador Against
Hunger for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), has returned from a field
visit to projects that the UN agency is supporting in India, urging the
international community to strongly commit to support WFP programmes so as to
provide education and food to millions of hungry poor children.

Press Release Body: Italian actress Maria Grazia Cucinotta, Ambassador Against
Hunger for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), has returned from a field
visit to projects that the UN agency is supporting in India, urging the
international community to strongly commit to support WFP programmes so as to
provide education and food to millions of hungry poor children.

The Italian actress strongly appealed for contributions during the press conference
that took place today in New Delhi.

"Working side by side with WFP has taught me that each one can make a difference in
the fight against hunger. Food can serve as a magnet to bring children to school and
change their life", said Cucinotta, who chose India as her first field visit in her
role as WFP Ambassador Against Hunger.

Cucinotta visited WFP-assisted primary schools, mother-and-child health and
nutrition centers, and food-for-work activities in the predominantly tribal
districts of Jhabua and Dhar in central state of Madhya Pradesh. She was very
impressed with the functioning of WFP-supported projects. She learnt first-hand
that as a result of the WFP's support to national school feeding programme, the
enrolment in the schools have increased substantially, the attendance rates were
higher than in other schools and moreover, the children looked healthy.

"While India is making tremendous progress on the economic front, more efforts are
needed in the social arena, in terms of better nutrition, education and health
services for the poor. The commitment of the Government of India for hunger and
poverty alleviation is commendable. I have been impressed by WFP's work in India
that focuses on strengthening the national food-based schemes by developing better
models, including formulation and local production of micronutrients fortified
special foods. Every dollar WFP spends leverages several more dollars from existing
schemes. This is what external support and capacity development are needed for in
India", said Cucinotta.

Maria Grazia Cucinotta, Oscar nominated in 1994 for the film "Il Postino", has been
appointed WFP Ambassador Against Hunger in 2006 after having produced the Italian
film "All the Invisible Children", that focus the attention on the millions of
children and teenagers whose rights are denied by hunger, exploitation and war. The
film was realized by eight top directors: John Woo, Emir Kusturica, Spike Lee and
others.

WFP is the world\'s largest humanitarian agency. Last year we gave food to 88 million
people in 78 of the world\'s poorest countries and provided school meals to about 20
million children in 71 countries; almost half of whom were girls. Starting in 1963
and continuing as the largest multilateral conduit for external food assistance to
India, WFP has worked with the Government of India to fight against hunger,
malnutrition and illiteracy. In 2006, WFP assisted approximately 2.9 million people
in India, including 2 million women and children.
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