Hunger to Get Global Attention at the Olympics

Photo by Flickr user Rareclass.

Tensions are mounting as nearly 11,000 athletes gather in London to participate in more than 300 events in nearly 30 sports. In addition to the world’s most determined athletes, the fierce competition of the Olympics also brings politicians, tourists, heads of state, and rich donors to the United Kingdom for the nearly month-long competition. 

The intense international media coverage of the games makes the Olympics a prime venue to advocate for global hunger programs.  

British Prime Minister David Cameron has seized the opportunity, announcing that a hunger summit will coincide with the closing of the Olympic Games. The hunger summit builds on the promise made by world leaders at the G-8 Summit in May, to bolster food security and agriculture. The eight participating nations committed to supporting the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition announced by President Obama at the summit. This initiative includes an agreement between G-8 leaders and the private sector to help lift 50 million people out of poverty within 10 years.  

Cameron’s pledge to extend the promise of the G-8 Summit by holding a hunger summit during the 2012 Olympics Games raises several questions: Is this just a publicity stunt, or is he actually taking seriously the needs of millions of hungry people in developing nations? If so, what will the Olympic spotlight actually do for those who are hungry? 

The Olympics has the potential to bring together a myriad of donors and publicity, and I am hoping the Games will provide a positive outcome for hungry and poor people around the world.

Sarah Dickey, a recent graduate of Sewanee: The University of the South, is a media relations intern at Bread for the World.