Seeing them together yesterday knocked us all out: Tim Meadows, Shabana Azmi, and Hilda Dokubo.  Stars from three very different countries, standing side by side in solidarity against hunger.  Many members of the press came, videotaping and writing notes rapidly, trying to keep up with  remarks that stirred hearts and minds. 

“Hunger has gotten worse, not better,” Shabana said. “There are 854 million people that go to bed hungry of which 100 million are children. I found it shocking that the United Nations has not thought it necessary to go to all means to put food on the table.”

“We cannot bask in the glory of development when millions go hungry in a country of abundance,” she added.

Said Tim Meadows, “I am very proud to be part of ActionAid’s HungerFREE Campaign- calling for world action to end hunger.”

Mr. Meadows continued, ”when you hear about the number of people who are actually going hungry everyday and the affect it has on women in particular, it moves you to do something.”

ActionAid USA’s Peter O’Driscoll wrapped up the day with a list of what the US must do to really make an impact on world hunger.  Here’s a summary:

1. The US must endorse the Right to Food. “Food is a basic human right,” he said. Continuing:

2. ”We call on a reform on US food aid policy.  We need to stimulate production in poor countries, rather than enriching large corporations.”

3. “The US needs to re-orient its policies to invest in small agriculture, allowing small farmers to trade fairly.”

4. “We need to acknowledge that the US provides much of the greenhouse gases that cause climate change. The US must show real leadership in generating new revenues that enable people to adapt to the impacts of climate change in the developing world.”

5. “The US Government must listen to the voices of the people. Voices like those that are represented here today. We need their voices to be present in the halls of Congress, in the White House, and beyond. I call on my government, and all governments, to listen.”

Said Nepal’s Malvika Subba as the event was wrapping up, “This is only the beginning.  The people united will never be defeated.”

We’re in today’s New York Times, by the way. Have a look: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/09/25/un-protest-recipe-start-with-buddhist-monks-and-brazilian-nut-gatherers-garnish-with-flags-coffins-and-orange-jumpsuits/

Shabana Azmi, Bollywood super-star and activist here in New York to push the HungerFREE campaign at the United Nations, gave her first interview today to Time Magazine’s World Editor Bobby Ghosh, and a Time.com reporter – pictured.  Bobby grew up in India and said he spent the last four years on assignment in Iraq where Shabana’s films are being seen for the first time round – and making a big impression. 

Bobby was particularly interested to know Shabana’s views on the state of activism in India.  In his view he felt that civil society is a more powerful and visible force in India than when we was growing up, but he wanted to know what kind of impact it’s making. Shabana has been an activist on some ‘untouchable’ Indian issues.  She raised AIDS awareness over twenty years ago. 

Shabana said “empowerment is about participation in the decision-making process”, and cited the example of the southern state of Kerala whose healthcare, education and food rights had benefited from an empowered society, and particularly from investment in women’s programmes. But she said more needed to be done because “the sun is not shining equally on all Indians”. 

And she said the ActionAid HungerFREE campaign is a campaign with tangible objectives that will make a big impact on reducing unacceptable levels of hunger – where one in four go hungry every day.  Shabana also said that the new Indian middle class – many of whom will remember poverty themselves – could do more about ending poverty in India. 

One of the key objectives of HungerFREE is to put an end to corporate abuse, and Shabana told them of the impact of ActionAid campaigning against Vedanta, a UK-registered company, that has already spent $805 million investing in bauxite mining in the hills of Niyamgri, Orissa, without properly consulting with the local Dabu Miahi’s tribe, whose whole way of life is threatened, not to mention the environmental devastation of these hills – one of which, the Mountain of Niyamgiri, is venerated as a living God.  We’re awaiting a supreme court ruling on whether the mining is allowed to continue.  If Shabana has her way it most certainly will not. 

Former Ms. Nepal, Malvika Subba, tells her story about what it’s been like to campaign at the UN over the past few weeks with the HungerFREE campaign:

“Before I came to New York, I was a bit skeptical as to what it would be like, as this is my first trip to US. But I knew that I was coming for a good cause, and if things worked out , I would be helping millions of people in my country.

After I came here and we started our work for the Hunger Free Campign, I was so proud of myself and the fact that  I was associated with something like this. Nepal has been very much affected by hunger. I believe that hunger is the cause for various turmoil in my country, like terrorism, crimes, poverty and anger!

My country is going through difficult times right now. And I am hoping and wishing that this campaign will ease the difficulty by certain percentage, and put my country on track (here I am with the brilliant Sudhir Bhatarai, First Secretary of the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations). The thing that makes me sad is that there isn’t a stable government back home with which we can go and lobby our demand for the Right To Food.

From protesting in front of the UN every day, speaking with Missions for UN, making new friends, and working for the campaign, everything has been a great experience, I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

I can’t wait to go back to Nepal and do something there with the youths regarding hunger.

I would like to thank Action Aid International and Nepal for giving me this opportunity to be where I am with this campaign today and of course to Action Aid Nepal for choosing me as their Spokesperson.

Jai Nepal! (victory to Nepal)

Here’s an amazing video just produced by the multi-talented Amanda Fitzgerald at ActionAid. It talks all about the HungerFREE campaign, including stories from Africa and India. The interviews, and some of the stories, will just floor you. Thanks, Amanda!

This is amazing!  We’re going to have stars from Hollywood, Bollywood, and Nollywood (Nigerian film) rallying with us across the street from the United Nations on September 25th. That’s the day George W. Bush and other world leaders will be inside the UN.  Probably one of the most important days of the year.

Ok, here are the details.  The rally will be held at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza in New York, at 47th and 1st. There will be lots of protests going on there at the same time, but ours will be one of the only ones with a sound permit, so you’ll probably hear us right away.  We’ll be at the 1st Ave. Side of the park.  We’ll start around 2PM. 

The wonderful actor/comedian Tim Meadows is going to be there. He was my favorite on Saturday Night Live for 10 years, and then went on to do the movie “The Ladies’ Man.” He’s now starring in TBS’ “The Bill Engvall Show,” and will be coming out with a Columbia Pictures movie this December.

The amazingly talented Shabana Azmi is a superstar in India (I put a photo of her at the end of this post). Here in the US, many of us know her from her starring role in the movie, City of Joy with Patrick Swazye. She’s flying all the way here from India because she is impassioned about social justice issues, and believes deeply that in this day and age, absolutely nobody should be starving.  

Hilda Dokubo, The unbelievable Nigerian movie star who has been with us for the past week, will also be there. You can read more about her in earlier posts.  She’s made over 120 films, and just has blown everyone away– from seasoned diplomats to everyday New Yorkers.This is the first time stars have come from Hollywood, Bollywood, and Nollywood like this. More soon!! 

Our first week of protests outside of the United Nations ended well today. The United Nations is getting much busier than usual, mostly because world leaders will be coming here on Monday.  Because of that, the foot traffic of diplomats, politicians, and tourists was just great.  As we made noise, reminding the UN that 854 million people are going hungry right now, other members of the HungerFREE team passed out bright red brochures that gave pointed messages on how important it is that the United Nations take action immediately on global hunger.  The signs we held up took on a much stronger UN feel to them, as HungerFREE campaigners from 9 countries began writing special messages in their own languages.  Some of us were holding two signs at once, flipping them around from English to Spanish or English to Bangladeshi… you get the point.  The tourists absolutely gawked, while many members of the diplomatic set broke into beautiful smiles. So many people are in complete solidarity with us.  It’s incredibly heartening.  And it means that we have to keep on pushing to really make this a Hunger FREE planet! 

Today, Dr. Sonja Kreibich, 2nd Secretary, Premanent Mission of the Federal Republic of Germany to the United Nations was briefed on the HungerFree campaign during a meeting with Alejandra Scampini, ActionAid Americas women’s rights coordinator, Kate Neustedt, director of communications for ActionAid, and Alexandre Polack, Americas communications coordinator.

“Dr. Kreibich has a profound understanding of poverty issues, and cares deeply about women’s rights ” said Kate. “We were delighted to meet her and to discuss the HungerFREE Campaign, and very much look forward to seeing her again.”

Dr. Kreibich is pictured above in the center, between Alexandre and Alejandra.

Today marks day three of HungerFREE at the United Nations.  In the morning, many members of the New York nonprofit community came to our forum, called a Field of Ones Own – A Forum on Women’s Rights to Land and Natural Resources. The event was held at the Church Centre at the United Nations, and featured an amazing speech by Cledeneuza Maria Bezerra Oliveria from the Brazilian Amazon. She talked about the plight of landless women, whom had for decades eked a living by harvesting wild palm oil nuts, called babassu nuts, from neighboring trees.  Then, big corporations and rich  land speculators came in, purchasing enormous swaths of land, and preventing the nuts from being harvested. Suddenly, an estimated 400,000 nut gatherers had no way to make a living.  Many are still going hungry.  Among them are five of Cledeneuza’s children, who are “trying very hard to find jobs, but there aren’t many opportunities out there.”

Cledeneuza herself has been gathering the nuts since she was nine.

The audience was incredibly moved by her story, which was told with brave intensity.  Cledeneuza told us that she is hoping that Brazil will soon pass the Babassu Free Law, which would make the palms once again accessible to these very deserving families. 

“These nuts are our only wealth,” she said.  Let us hope justice quickly prevails.

The HungerFREE team continued with its important meetings with country missions to the UN on day two here at the United Nations. Among these were meetings with the Nigerian Mission and Senegal’s mission to the UN.

Hilda Dokubo, the famous Nigerian actress stopped fellow Nigerians in their tracks as she walked into the Nigerian building. She had an extra twinkle in her eyes as she, and fellow Nigerian,  Aderonke from ActionAid, met with Aya-Kalata Gobo, the second secretary of the Nigerian Mission to the United Nations.

Later in the afternoon, we assembled for our second day of protests outside of the United Nations: armed with our voices, whistles and drums. The sound carried all the way to the corridors of the UN and enticed more supporters out of their offices to learn about HungerFREE. With media interest being drawn from all over the, world SABC Africa and other journalists spent time to capture moments of the campaign. The atmosphere was electrifying.

Ms. Aderonke Faniyan owned the mic and chanted “a hungry person is an unproductive person!” a strong willed youth activist from Nigeria said “Hunger is real; I felt hunger and it is something I do not want to ever experience again, I am here to ask the UN to show us their commitment by halving hunger by 2015.”

After meeting with Missions to the United Nations this morning, the HungerFREE team protested loudly in front of the UN, shouting: “UN: Put Food on the Table!  The Poor must not be Ignored!”  The action attracted passers-by from around the world, who stopped by to sign their personal messages on HungerFREE plates destined to be presented to UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon. 

The press came, too, including BBC Afrique, which conducted an informative interview with Mr. Ibrahima Niasse.  Mr. Niasse came all the way from Senegal for the HungerFREE campaign. In his native country, he serves as the Head of The Farmers’ Platform, which stands up for the rights of small family farmers (that’s him to the right).  “We are at a place in history where there should absolutely be no hunger,” he told me. “That’s why I’m here. Lives are on the line. The United Nations must take action.”