New York - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) brought together sports, culture and global policy at a high-energy exchange during the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), underscoring the vital role of young people in transforming agrifood systems.
The special event - Fueling the Future: Hoops, Agrifood Systems & Youth-driven Change - took place within the SDG Media Zone, on the sidelines of UNGA80.
The session featured FAO Goodwill Ambassadors, the Harlem Globetrotters' Brawley "Cheese" Chisholm and Latif "Jet" Rivers, as well as actress/singer and FAO Champion Monique Coleman and FAO Chief Economist Máximo Torero, in a discussion moderated by the journalist Melissa Jun Rowley.
FAO Chief Economist Máximo Torero emphasized the economic and systemic importance of youth engagement, saying: "Young people are not just the future of our food systems - they are the drivers of change today. By empowering youth with knowledge, access, and opportunity, we can transform agrifood systems to be more sustainable, resilient, and equitable for all."
Brawley "Cheese" Chisholm and Latif "Jet" Rivers highlighted the values of teamwork, nutrition and perseverance, stressing the importance of healthy diets as the foundation for pursuing dreams.
Monique Coleman called on global leaders to listen to young people - especially girls - and invest in their ideas, noting that youth are not just beneficiaries but catalysts for change.
Drawing on FAO's landmark report The Status of Youth in Agrifood Systems, the panel addressed how young people face challenges such as unemployment, lack of access to resources, and the impacts of climate shocks. With 1.3 billion youth aged 15 to 24 worldwide - 85 percent living in low- and lower-middle-income countries - FAO highlighted the paradox that while 44 percent of working youth rely on agrifood systems for jobs, food insecurity among young people has risen sharply in recent years.
With FAO marking its 80th anniversary this year, the exchange captured the urgency and the opportunity of fueling a better future with youth leadership, healthy diets and global collaboration.
The event also served as a springboard for upcoming initiatives: on 27 September, the Harlem Globetrotters will join youth at the New York Botanical Gardens' Edible Academy for a Climate Week cooking demonstration, sharing insights on nutrition and healthy diets.
Monique Coleman will co-host World Food Day celebrations on 16 October and Junior World Food Day on 17 October in Rome. She will also take part in Foods Futures - Conversations for a Better World, a series of discussions being held in celebrations of FAO's 80th Anniversary.
