A Symposium on “Healthy Foods for a Healthy Future” Held in Collaboration with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization
Within the scope of the collaboration between the Hacettepe University Social Responsibility Application and Research Center (HÜSSAM) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), a symposium titled “Healthy Foods for a Healthy Future” was held under the theme “Water is Life, Water is Food. Leave No One Behind” (“Daha İyi Bir Yaşam ve Daha İyi Bir Gelecek İçin El Ele”) on October 16, World Food Day.
The event took place on October 16 at the Hacettepe University Sıhhiye Campus Cultural Center Red Hall between 13:30 and 17:30. The symposium was organized in connection with the FAO’s global events themed “Hand in Hand for a Better Life and a Better Future.”
The opening speech was delivered by HÜSSAM Deputy Director Prof. Dr. Dilek Aslan. During the symposium, Dr. Tasnim Atatrah, Head of the World Health Organization (WHO) Turkey Office, and Dr. Ayşegül Selışık, Assistant Representative of FAO Turkey, delivered talks on global access to healthy food, food security, and sustainability. FAO Food Security Specialist Keigo OBARA also discussed the current global situation regarding access to food.
In addition, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tufan Nayir, WHO Officer for Communicable Diseases, Climate Change, and Environmental Health Programs, presented “WHO Experiences on Healthy Nutrition,” and Hacettepe University Faculty of Health Sciences member Prof. Dr. Neslişah Rakıcıoğlu gave a talk titled “Sustainable Nutrition.”
The program continued with presentations by Prof. Dr. Dilek Aslan of Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Public Health, titled “Determinants of Healthy Nutrition,” and Prof. Dr. Yener Ataseven of Ankara University Faculty of Agriculture, titled “Current Situation of Agricultural and Food Policies.”
Throughout the symposium, speakers emphasized the multiple dimensions of healthy food, food access, and sustainability. The importance of interdisciplinary collaborations and inclusive social policies in addressing these issues was highlighted. In the closing session, participants underlined that health and healthy nutrition are fundamental rights; that global challenges persist; that nutritional needs require interdisciplinary approaches; and that public policies, as well as focused efforts for groups with special needs, play a crucial role in achieving a healthy and sustainable future.
