Auburn University launches global network of universities in fight against hunger Dec. 9

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Auburn University will lead a coalition of more than 60 universities worldwide that have banded together to address the global issue of hunger and malnutrition. On Dec. 9, Auburn President Jay Gogue and leaders from the other universities will have a public signing of the Presidents' Commitment to Food and Nutrition Security at the United Nations in New York City.

The meeting will be the first gathering of PUSH – Presidents United to Solve Hunger – where the higher education leaders acknowledge their commitment to making food security a priority.

"What makes this event especially significant is the recognition that universities have a tremendous role to play in addressing global grand challenges," Gogue said. "Our institutions have a deep faculty talent pool, an energetic, innovative population of students, an unprecedented commitment from top leadership, and a staying power from generation to generation that lends itself to tackling long-term issues like hunger."

The Hunger Forum and Public Signing Ceremony on Dec. 9 marks the first time universities around the world will share a collective focus on ending food insecurity. It is also the first time students and university leaders will be united in the effort with international organizations, NGOs and student groups joining Auburn in this initiative.

Auburn not only created PUSH, but has been a global leader in the fight against hunger since partnering with the United Nations World Food Programme in 2004. Auburn's War on Hunger campaign and relationship with WFP led to the formation of Universities Fighting World Hunger (UFWH). The UFWH movement now has a worldwide coalition of more than 300 colleges and universities.

UFWH affiliates have met annually since 2006 to share ideas and best practices related to local and global hunger. To take the movement to the next level, leaders from more than 30 universities in the U.S., Canada and Central America gathered in February 2014 to discuss taking collective action against food insecurity and malnutrition. The gathering preceded the ninth annual UFWH Summit at Auburn University. It was organized by Auburn's Hunger Solutions Institute and co-sponsored by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. PUSH and the Presidents' Commitment to Food and Nutrition Security are both direct results of the February meeting.

PUSH member institutions include land-grants, liberal arts, faith-based, historically black and Hispanic-serving colleges and universities from five continents. Auburn is joined by Tuskegee University and also fellow SEC members Mississippi State, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas and Alabama.

"Land-grant universities have always supported the advancement of food security through research, teaching, and outreach as part of their historical mission," said Mark Keenum, president of Mississippi State University and PUSH steering committee chair. "I am excited to see so many land-grants – from UC Davis to Cornell and Penn State – joining the PUSH movement. But I am even more encouraged to see schools of every size, background and even nationality join in. It is through this joint commitment, collaborative effort and sharing of best practices that we will be able to accomplish this ambitious – but achievable – goal of ending hunger."

Legendary in-state rivals in the athletic arena, Auburn and Alabama have also battled each other for the past 20 years with an annual food drive benefiting the Food Bank of East Alabama and the West Alabama Food Bank.

"While Alabama and Auburn may battle it out on the football field, I am so proud of the young men and women from both schools who work in partnership each year to combat hunger in our communities," said University of Alabama President Judy Bonner. "By signing the Presidents' Commitment to Food and Nutrition Security, I am pleased to work with President Gogue and nearly 50 other presidents from around the world who are standing together to say that hunger and malnutrition have no place in the 21st century."

Participation in PUSH enables members to share their collective knowledge in areas where hunger is historically addressed at academic institutions: teaching, research, outreach and student engagement. One of the first action items in the Presidents' Commitment to Food and Nutrition Security is an inventory and mapping exercise so all schools can register their food and nutrition security work in these four major areas.

"Most universities are already contributing to food security across their programmatic agendas," said Hunger Solutions Executive Director Dean June Henton, founder of UFWH and HSI. "But PUSH will accelerate individual university achievements in two distinct ways. First, additional strength will come through the power of collective action and commitment to share best practices. Second, it will give universities a strong and unified voice at the multi-sector table as the world defines sustainable food security initiatives going forward."

Auburn University is a nationally ranked land grant institution recognized for its commitment to world-class scholarship, interdisciplinary research with an elite, top-tier Carnegie R1 classification, life-changing outreach with Carnegie’s Community Engagement designation and an undergraduate education experience second to none. Auburn is home to more than 30,000 students, and its faculty and research partners collaborate to develop and deliver meaningful scholarship, science and technology-based advancements that meet pressing regional, national and global needs. Auburn’s commitment to active student engagement, professional success and public/private partnership drives a growing reputation for outreach and extension that delivers broad economic, health and societal impact.