Blog by Liliana Mosca, SI United Nations Representative in Rome. 

The United Nations and the Italian Government organised a pre-Summit on food systems under the leadership of the Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres and the Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.

The event will take place in Rome from 26–28 July 2021 and will bring together the efforts and contributions of a global commitment process that aspires to the transformation of food systems and to deliver progress on all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The three-day event will bring together young people, small farmers, indigenous people, researchers, the private sector, political leaders and ministers of agriculture, environment, health and finance.

The pre-United Nations Summit will take place in a virtual “hybrid” format for three days, during which many will participate in person at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Rome, while others will take part from around the world through a vast virtual platform.

The pre-summit in Italy will be a pivotal time to mobilise the ambitious commitments we need to build sustainable food systems that work for people, the planet and prosperity. Through accelerated action we can help the world rebuild better later. COVID-19, fight growing hunger and tackle the climate crisis.

– António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General.

With the objects indicated by the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, the Pre-Summit aims to:

• Bring together the best ideas from all of the Summit’s structures while also identifying priorities and distilling a common vision that will lie at the heart of the UN Secretary-General’s statement of action at the Summit.
• Serve as a pledging moment for governments, businesses, civil society and other players to announce new commitments to support food systems transformation and advance game-changing solutions through multi-stakeholder collaboration.
• Provide Heads of State and other public and private leaders an opportunity to feature and advance their commitments to action, set a tone of leadership and bold ambition, and inspire the engagement of many others ahead of the Summit.
• Promote a global discourse and narrative that puts food systems at the centre of global efforts to achieve the SDGs, with vast virtual engagement and a coordinated advocacy and communications campaign in all regions of the world. This discourse will highlight the importance of food systems for progress on climate, development finance, health, human rights and other global priorities.
• Foster a sense of community by bringing together countries, stakeholders, and constituencies in all parts of food systems from all parts of the world.
• Mobilise public and private investments to drive food systems transformation and prioritise game-changing solutions.