Caritas Batticaloa- EHED organized this year’s World Food Day commemoration for the 4th consecutive year on 19th of October 2017 with the participation of religious leaders, government officers, farmers, members of the Caritas staff and a large number of invitees. In total, more than 450 farmers from the districts of Ampara and Batticaloa took part in the event held at the I S T I Auditorium of the Department of Agriculture Batticaloa.
The day’s programme started with an awareness raising public walk, participants covering a distance of around 1km, holding placards and slogans showcasing aspects of sustainable life, the importance of consuming organic food and deadly impacts of the intake of vegetable & fruits produced with the use of agro chemicals
Rt. Rev. Dr. Joseph Ponniah, the Bishop of Batticaloa, Mr. Sivanathan, Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Irrigation, Cooperatives, Food and Food supplies of Eastern Provincial Council Trincomalee, Dr. Hussain, Provincial Director of Agriculture, Eastern Province, Mr. S. Parameswaran, Deputy Director of Agriculture Batticaloa, Mr. Sathiyasekar, Sociologist and Senior Lecturer attached to the Eastern University (EU) of Vantharumoolai , Dr. K.T Sundaresan, Senior Lecturer attached to the Health care Sciences, EUSL and Consultant Physician attached to the Teaching Hospital Batticaloa, Rev. Fr. Mahendra Gunatilake, National Director, Caritas Sri Lanka-SEDEC , Rev. Fr. Geron De Lima Director Caritas EHED graced the occasion as key invitees.
Making the key note address, Dr. K.T. Sundaresan, Senior lecturer attached to the Medical Faculty of Eastern University and Consultant Physician of Teaching hospital Batticaloa spoke on the theme “Food as Medicine” showcasing numerous research findings. His book tilted, FOOD IS A PROBLEM and FOOD IS THE SOLUTION was published by EHED alongside the commemoration and a few copies were distributed to the dignitaries on this day.
Student girls of the Palugamam MV performed a cultural dance which lit up the days proceedings.
The entire event was organized under the guidance and leadership of Rev.Fr. Geron De Lima, Director Caritas Batticaloa- EHED.
This year’s UN World Food Day was organized under the theme “Change the future of migration – Invest in food security and rural development”