Feed your future – urbanizing food solutions: WFF at the Food Wave final event

On 22 November, the World Food Forum (WFF) participated in the Food Wave final event in Milan, Italy. The event, organized by the Municipality of Milan and opened by Deputy Mayor Ms Anna Scavuzzo, served as a crucial platform for stakeholders to take stock of the results achieved by the Food Wave initiative and discuss future prospects for global youth engagement in city-level initiatives. Food Wave aims to raise awareness about sustainable food practices in urban areas and influence institutional decisions for fair and sustainable global agrifood systems by 2030.

Participating in the panel discussion on "Food and Climate Change: International Actions for Youth Involvement," WFF representative Lorenzo Gentile advocated for the WFF's mission. His presentation covered the origins of the WFF, highlighted the outcomes of the 2023 flagship event and underscored the pivotal role that youth must play in shaping the future of our agrifood systems. Mr Gentile's presentation of the WFF in the panel emphasized the shared objectives and synergies between Food Wave and the WFF.

The panel also featured insights from other speakers, including Martina Riva, Deputy Mayor for Sport, Tourism, and Youth Policies of the Municipality of Milan, Roberta Ianna, Senior Advisor for the Italian Ministry for the Environment and Energy Security, and Francesca Vanoni, Team Leader of the DEAR Support Team, offering a comprehensive perspective on youth involvement and initiatives at the European level.

The event then moved into different panels and presentations on the results of the Food Wave initiative and highlighted how the Municipality of Milan is working on climate and food policies at the local and international level.

The WFF attracted significant interest, leading to discussions on potential collaborations with partners from the Food Wave initiative. These discussions have set the stage for ongoing conversations to enhance the WFF's collaboration with local city actors, further expanding its impact.