
Parahyangan Catholic University (UNPAR) has collaborated with the Government of Bandung and the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP) to hold the prestigious event “ASEAN Summer School Meals Programmes in ASEAN Cities.” The event took place from July 23 to July 26, 2024, in Bandung.
The “ASEAN Summer School Meals Programmes in ASEAN Cities” aims to strengthen food security and improve school meal programs in ASEAN cities. Over four days, participants from various ASEAN cities will engage in intensive training covering aspects such as food procurement, healthy eating, and food safety.
This event started on Monday (July 22, 2024), Gin Gin Ginanjar, Head of the Food Security and Agriculture Office of Bandung, Filippo Gavazzeni, Chair of the MUFPP Secretariat, and Prof. Tri Basuki Joewono, Ph.D., Rector of UNPAR, were present. The Head of the Food Security and Agriculture Office, Gin Gin Ginanjar, expressed pride in Bandung’s selection as the host city. He attributed this success to the internationally recognized “Buruan Sae” program. “We are very proud of the Buruan Sae program, which has gained international recognition. Through this collaboration, we hope to spread these best practices to other cities in ASEAN,” Gin Gin stated.
He hopes this activity will strengthen collaboration among ASEAN cities to raise awareness about the importance of sustainable school meal programs. “With support from MUFPP and the Bandung Government, we hope this event will be a significant step towards creating a healthier and better future for children across ASEAN,” he said.
Furthermore, the Chair of the MUFPP Secretariat, Filippo Gavazzeni, revealed that MUFPP and ASEAN are developing a project to disseminate experiences and knowledge about school meal programs in cities. This project is funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and will be implemented in partnership with the City of Bandung and UNPAR.
“This program can provide real benefits to cities in ASEAN in improving school food systems. By sharing knowledge and best practices, we can create better and more sustainable school meal programs,” Filippo said. “The Milan Pact serves as an international platform for exchanging best practices with a holistic approach to food systems. To date, the Milan Pact has been signed by over 280 mayors worldwide,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Rector of UNPAR stated that this initiative is strong evidence of the extraordinary potential that arises from collaboration among various sectors. “By bringing together diverse partners, including the City of Milan, MUFPP, ASEAN, UNPAR, the Bandung Government, and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, we encourage a rich exchange of knowledge and expertise to create innovative solutions that will have a positive long-term impact on the lives of our children.” Rector concluded, “Today, in the spirit of collaboration, we also invite several school partners who we believe share the same concerns. Welcome! We hope you will join us in developing this initiative. Parahyangan Catholic University always strives to be a hub for our existing and future partners in coordinating efforts to realize greater good for the future of humanity and the planet we inhabit.”
Source: UNPAR