This year’s World Food Forum Flagship Event was attended by several global leaders and included the celebration of a historic World Food Day marking FAO’s 80th anniversary
The 2025 edition of the World Food Forum (WFF) flagship event included the celebration of a historic World Food Day marking FAO’s 80th anniversary and brought together global leaders, policymakers, youth, Indigenous Peoples, scientists, farmers, investors, and innovators around a shared goal: transforming agrifood systems for a sustainable, hunger-free world.
Under the theme “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future,” WFF 2025 hosted over 300 events with 16,500 in-person participants and attracting more than 60,000 online participants from nearly 200 countries. Through social media, the Forum reached 1.5 billion people and generated 1.6 million engagements.
The Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum showcased opportunities worth $17.2 billion, with 31 countries and six regional initiatives sharing plans that could transform the lives of 160 million beneficiaries.
In his closing remarks, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu praised the Forum as a transformative movement with purpose, driven by people, and guided by the conviction that food is the foundation of our shared future.
He urged participants to carry forward the momentum beyond Rome: “Take the inspiration you felt and transform it into progress,” he said.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Rosângela Lula da Silva, First Lady of the Federative Republic of Brazil and COP30 Special Envoy for Women, underscored the Forum’s focus on youth and the importance of uniting young people, communities, and governments to ensure food security and uphold the right to food for all.
In his video message delivered during the closing ceremony, António Costa, President of the European Council, reaffirmed that the European Union and FAO share the same vision of addressing the root causes of hunger, and highlighted that FAO’s expertise and leadership are essential for Europe, for all the Members, and for the whole world.
High-Level Forum
WFF 2025 started on 10 October with the inauguration of the “From Seeds to Foods”, the first global exhibition tracing the evolution of agrifood systems – from the origins of agriculture to today’s innovations. The exhibition transformed the Park of Porta Capena, in from of FAO headquarters, into a living open-air gallery that celebrated the diversity of global agrifood systems and showcased technologies and practices shaping the future of food and agriculture. Highlights included a replica of the Svalbard Seed Vault, an aquaponic greenhouse, agricultural drones, satellite technologies, and even dogs trained to detect plant diseases – a testament to innovation and creativity across agriculture.
The Forum’s opening ceremony took place on 13 October in a high-level ceremony led by Director-General Qu Dongyu. It included the participation of King Letsie III of Lesotho, FAO Special Ambassador for Nutrition; Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil; Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of the interim Government of Bangladesh, Princess Basma bint Ali of Jordan; The Prime Minister of Djibouti, Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed; and the Prime Minister of Eswatini, Russell Mmiso Dlamini.
Another high-level moment was the celebration of World Food Day 2025 on 16 October, which marked FAO’s 80th anniversary. The Global Ceremony was attended by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV; the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni; King Letsie III of Lesotho; Queen Letizia of Spain; and the Uruguay President Yamandú Orsi Martínez. President Xi Jinping of China sent a congratulatory message – delivered by Han Jun, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China.
The President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, also visited FAO the same day to inaugurate the Food and Agriculture Museum & Network (FAO MuNe). Throughout the week, the President of Chile, Gabriel Boric, visited FAO headquarters, and opened the Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum. In addition, WFF 2025 was attended by more than 50 ministers and 100 vice-ministers.
From ideas to action
The Forum’s three key pillars—Youth, Science and Innovation, and Investment—showcased how global cooperation can drive real change. The Science and Innovation Forum (SIF) highlighted solutions for climate resilience, digital agriculture, and sustainable water management, while the Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum presented tangible opportunities for new partnerships and investments in agrifood transformation.
The Youth Assembly brought together more than 1,200 young leaders and experts in person and tens of thousands of people joining online, from all six regions, showcasing the growing impact of youth-led action in transforming agrifood systems. By supporting, empowering and mobilizing youth across the globe and providing more than $160 000 in direct support to youth-led solutions, the Assembly demonstrated its commitment to turning ideas into action.
In addition, the Director-General highlighted two WFF side events this year, noting that the Rome Water Dialogue placed water—the lifeblood of agriculture—at the centre of discussions, and that the South-South and Triangular Cooperation Ministerial Dialogue strengthened global solidarity and cooperation.
“The World Food Forum is still young, but its impact is undeniable,” the Director-General concluded. “Let us move forward with courage, creativity, and solidarity—working hand in hand for better foods and a better future.”
The Science and Innovation Forum officially closed with the side event “One Health in agrifood systems is everyone’s health,” highlighting the interdependence of human, animal, plant, and ecosystem health.
The week also featured the inauguration of the FAO Food and Agriculture Museum and Network (MuNe), connecting food heritage with innovation and linking past and future.
Source:FAO
