Rome/Brasília - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today named Madame Janja Lula da Silva as FAO Special Goodwill Champion Against Hunger.
The designation recognizes her longstanding commitment to fighting hunger, promoting women's empowerment, and supporting sustainable agriculture.
FAO Director-General QU Dongyu made the announcement during the 39th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean, honoring Janja Lula da Silva's stewardship which inspires action, mobilizes communities, and strengthens the global fight against hunger. Qu said: "Her work demonstrates that leadership is about people - their dignity, their opportunities, and their future." He added that her voice alongside other partners "will help to strengthen FAO's work in Brazil, the region, and around the world."
Madame Lula da Silva said: "Assuming this title is an honor that reaffirms my commitment to all people in building a world where everyone can enjoy their right to quality food every day. My work continues to be guided by this conviction: as long as there is someone who is hungry, our mission is not yet finished."
As FAO Special Goodwill Champion Against Hunger, Janja Lula da Silva will dedicate her efforts to increase visibility and impact through advocacy and public engagement. She will support initiatives of transforming agrifood systems, with the aim to reduce hunger and malnutrition, strengthen links between food security and climate resilience, all the while promoting the empowerment of women and Indigenous Peoples.
Janja Lula Da Silva's advocacy will help accelerate action and underscore the importance of collective leadership in support of achieving better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.
About Janja Lula da Silva
An experienced sociologist and social justice advocate, Janja Lula da Silva is dedicated to fighting hunger. At FAO's World Food Forum 2025, she emphasized the role of youth, communities, and governments in securing the right to food for all. She also shared her vision for placing women at the center of solutions to climate-related challenges, highlighting both the difficulties they face in rural and urban areas and their vital role in building resilient agrifood systems. As COP30 Special Envoy for Women, she highlighted the crucial role of women in climate action and inclusive policymaking. She also advocated on behalf of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, sharing Brazil's experience in school meals, social protection and scalable public policies that support global efforts to eradicate hunger.
