DOHA: The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) has celebrated World Food Day, launching, on this occasion, an extensive awareness campaign. This campaign included disseminating special messages about food safety through school accounts on social media and online platforms, as well as distributing brochures and booklets related to food safety.
Awareness workshops have also been held to discuss and address the critical projects of the Food Safety Department within the Ministry with strategic partners to engage all stakeholders in making decisions related to food safety.
A workshop titled 'Understand Your Body' was presented by school activity specialists to enhance healthy food awareness by training participants to calculate calories in food recipes and determine each body's calorie needs using a simple test. The workshop also included preparing healthy recipes that match those needs and a competition for creating a balanced and nutritious meal. The Health Promotion Department of the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) participated in this event by setting up an awareness booth that featured educational pamphlets, a body mass index measuring device, health consultations, and models of healthy foods.
Schools nationwide are celebrating this occasion by organizing a variety of events, including health awareness lectures, educational workshops, and recreational educational trips. Interactive activities, such as preparing healthy meals and participating in competitions, are also held for students and their parents.
Director of the Schools and Students Affairs Department at MoEHE Mariam Al Nasif Al Bouainin stated that the celebration of World Food Day contributes to enhancing ongoing efforts, as it is an important occasion to raise awareness about the significance of the role of all parties involved in food safety. She emphasized the importance of fostering effective communication with the international network of food safety authorities and activating a multidisciplinary team to manage food incidents. She also highlighted the necessity of strengthening monitoring, response, and emergency measures in food safety, in addition to preparing a specific guide for the procedures for recalling food products.
This year's celebration aims to raise awareness and support initiatives and plans to achieve safer and healthier food, she said, adding that the celebration focuses on the importance of individuals committing to food safety planning, as your active involvement is crucial in this process.
The celebration also highlights the significance of collaboration between food companies and consumers in preparing for unexpected situations. Additionally, it fosters communication and coordination among government entities, the private sector, and the public to effectively respond to food incidents.
