The Breakfast Club of Canada hosts Global Child Nutrition Forum
As families transition into the new school year this September, the Breakfast Club of Canada is reminding Canadians that nearly one million children across the country live in poverty and are at risk of starting the school day on an empty stomach due to a lack of access to nutritious food. This alarming statistic and other related issues will be among the subjects discussed at 19th edition of the Global Child Nutrition Forum which will be held in Montreal from September 17 to 21, 2017.
With support from the City of Montreal, the Breakfast Club of Canada will host, for its first appearance on Canadian soil, the annual Forum organized by the Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF) and the United Nations World Food Programme Centre of Excellence against Hunger (WFP CoE). More than 300 leaders from 67 countries will meet in Montreal over a five-day period in an effort to help governments around the world build national nutritious school meal programs that are locally-sourced and country-operated.
“Thanks to the City of Montreal, the Breakfast Club of Canada received financial support to offer a balanced morning meal to students at 50 new elementary and high schools from nine Montreal districts,” said Daniel Germain, President and Founder of the Breakfast Club of Canada. “We are equally delighted to acknowledge a recent contribution by the Government of Canada. However, we must be clear that in 2017 it is distressing that Canada remains the only G7 country that does not have a national nutrition policy for children. I believe in the genuine goodwill of the government in place and take this opportunity to call on our federal policymakers to ask that they commit to Canadian children by developing a comprehensive national strategy to end child hunger in this country.”
The theme for this year’s Forum, Bridge to Sustainable Development through School Meal Programs: Engaging Local, National, Regional, and Global Communities, will see participants take part in various workshops and conferences.
“The Forum aims to highlight issues related to child nutrition around the world, foster cooperation between nations and encourage countries to develop and improve programs and revenue streams,” remarked Arlene Mitchell, Executive Director, Global Child Nutrition Foundation. “It is also a wonderful opportunity for increased visibility on the world stage, to raise public awareness about nutrition challenges facing children in all countries and to share experience and tools to address those challenges.”
“The City of Montreal is proud to be working in collaboration with the Breakfast Club of Canada, GCNF and the WFP CoE on this important Forum,” said Denis Coderre, Mayor of Montreal. “Over the years, the Forum has become a space for countries to discuss their challenges and share their solutions for school nutrition programs. We could not be happier that they have chosen to bring this important discussion to Montreal.”
