from L-R: Richard Jolly, Abraham Horwitz, A. Namanga Ngongi.- From Richard Jolly:
It is with sadness that I announce the death of Dr Abraham Horwitz, SCN Chair Emeritus. He had sown many seeds in the international nutrition arena. We have all been fortunate enough to reap some of the harvest from those seeds, and there will be much more to come. In tribute to Dr Horwitz, friends & colleagues have spoken of how he 'practiced what he preached', how he 'nurtured greater harmony of nutrition policies and activities for the UN system', and how he was - 'always concerned for the well-being of those less fortunate than himself. Nutrition was more than epidemiology, research and science to Dr Horwitz - it was a way of life and a priority for life. He will remain an inspiration for future generations of nutrition students and professionals working in international nutrition. The SCN was privileged to have Dr Horwitz present at our Session this past April in Washington, DC, to attend the 4th Annual Horwitz Lecture given by Deepa Bhat, a young graduate student at the beginning of her career.
I thank UNICEF and the World Bank for hosting our week-long 27th Session. During the symposium portion of the meeting we were privileged to hear from F H Abed, Executive Director of BRAC, the 27 year old multifaceted grassroots development organization in Bangladesh; Kul Gautam, Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF; Eduardo Doryan, Vice President at the World Bank; and Per Pinstrup-Andersen, Director-General of the International Food Policy Research Institute. Speaking on the topic of "Nutrition Stocktaking and the Challenges for the 21st Century", all four distinguished guests encouraged participants with past and present examples of agency cooperation, and presented future challenges to the nutrition community. They encouraged the SCN to produce a new set of goals, targets and strategies around which political, corporate, and civil society leaders and the media can be mobilized. Aligned with this thinking I am pleased to announce that the ACC/SCN Strategic Plan (see Programme News section) was adopted by acclamation during the Session. The Plan outlines strategies to strengthen leadership and coordinate the agencies' efforts to support countries in their actions to end undernutrition.
I congratulate the SCN News for addressing the role of biotechnology and its links with nutrition. Genetic modification, once a futuristic concept, is now a present reality. It is obvious that plant breeding, especially to increase the micronutrient density of staple grains, provides possibilities to alleviate undernutrition. Timely and accurate information on this topic is crucial for all of us. Furthermore, agriculture is not just productivity, it is a way of life. Seeds are sown, we reap the harvest. The nurturing process must not be forgotten.
I am grateful for the opportunity to have served since 1996 as the SCN Chair and I thank everyone from all the UN agencies, bilaterals and NGOs, who have assisted me to further the visibility of the ACC/SCN in this new millennium. I wish the incoming Chair, Dr Ngongi, all the best in his new role. I have no doubt that under his leadership the SCN will become increasingly unified and ever more active in its efforts to help the UN and the international community to work for the elimination of malnutrition by responding to nutritional problems around the world.
- From Namaga Ngongi:
I look forward to serving the nutrition community as your new Chair. As you may know, I presently serve as Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme. The SCN has provided much useful support to the humanitarian agencies over the years, and the WFP has benefited greatly from this support. During my term as Chair, I intend to return the support by focusing on practical tripartite solutions to the very real problems and challenges faced every day by hungry people who are not in a position to exercise their right to food.
I am delighted that at its 27th Session, the SCN established a Working Group on Nutrition and HIV/AIDS to tackle issues related to this serious threat to life itself, particularly with regard to its devastating effects on the African continent. Next year's SCN symposium on "Nutrition and HIV/AIDS" will provide new insights into what the nutrition community can do to help improve the quality of life for victims with the disease. It will be a great pleasure to see all of you at the 28th SCN Session to be hosted by WFP in Nairobi from 2-6 April 2001.
In memory of Dr Horwitz may we continue to be bold and imaginative in our approach to nutrition problems, particularly with respect to nutrition and HIV/AIDS.
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'...REDOUBLE YOUR EFFORTS IN NUTRITION... BE BOLD AND
IMAGINATIVE.' |
