FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 13, 2003

MICKEY LELAND HUNGER FELLOWS MEET IN ROME WITH U.S. MISSION AND U.N. HUNGER RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS

The 11 Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellows and directors of the Congressional Hunger Center (CHC) will visit the United Nations food and agriculture organizations in Rome during the week of March 17. Their trip is timely as global leaders look at immediate responses to food assistance needs if Iraq is invaded, multiple famines in Africa, as well as longer-term efforts to cut in half the number of hungry people by 2015. They will also meet with former Member of Congress Tony P. Hall, now the U.S. Ambassador to the UN food agencies.

Named after former Member of Congress, Mickey Leland, the Fellows are part of a growing cadre of young leaders who are training for careers in fighting hunger and poverty overseas. “The Fellows are gaining the skills, knowledge and experience necessary to end world hunger,” said Dr. Margaret Zeigler, CHC Deputy Director who founded the fellowship program. “During this trip, Fellows will meet with people at the UN food agencies involved in humanitarian relief operations in Iraq and African countries, and will learn more about efforts to assist with HIV/AIDS and famine in Africa, rural development, and natural resource protection” stated Zeigler.

Their visit includes day-long briefings at the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) and the U.N. International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). “We want to highlight the important role the United Nations agencies play in fighting hunger and poverty, and how young American leaders can be involved in these efforts” said Edward Cooney, CHC Executive Director.

The Fellows will also meet with Ambassador Tony Hall, Chief of the U.S. Mission to the U.N. Agencies in Rome. Prior to being appointed Ambassador, Tony Hall served in the U.S. Congress for 23 years, where he was an outspoken advocate for the poor and hungry. Ambassador Hall founded the CHC and served as the co-chairman of the board of directors from 1993 to 2002.

During previous training weeks, the Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellows visited with Members of the U.S. Congress, officials at U.S. Agency for International Development, the American Red Cross, and with the Library of Congress Research Service in Washington, DC.

The Fellows were chosen for the two-year leadership program based on their commitment to seeking solutions to global hunger. During the first year, Fellows worked at various overseas nongovernmental, international and private organizations to obtain hands-on experience. Following the completion of the field experience, Fellows were placed at U.N. organizations in Rome and non-governmental and private organizations in Washington D.C., where they have applied their practical knowledge to address hunger policy.