Nobody Should Die from Hunger in the 21st Century
The problem of poverty facing the world today has been taken up by the Intercultural Dialogue Platform (KADIP).
Emphasis was made on the unacceptability of the existence of hunger and hunger related death in the 21st century, and the panel agreed on the point that preventing waste could help solve the problem.
Intercultural Dialogue Platform Chairman Professor Niyazi Oktem, in the meeting's opening speech, said they will continue contributing to the peace process.
Oktem told that the Intercultural Dialogue Platform formed in the body of the Journalists and Writers Foundation organizes various meetings, and reminded they previously convened important leaders and scientists from various religions in the Turkish cities of Harran and Mardin.
Turkish Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Mehdi Eker speaking the first at the meeting titled "Hunger and Poverty: Religions' Suggestions for Solution" said a child dies of hunger every five minutes while others suffering from obesity. Eker told all celestial religions speak of greed and extravagance, and said, a huge step in overcoming world hunger will be made when these excesses are eradicated.
Cape Town University Professor Francis Wilson from the South African Labor and Development Unit noted that hunger and poverty have increased by 20 percent in the last 15 years.
Kerim Guzelis from the Syriacs Orthodox religion pointed out that what is essential in charity is the principle of privacy. "A charity room was built in Horasan. Those that wanted to contribute were able to leave donations in that room and someone in need would later take from it. In this way, no one feels any humiliation, as no one knows who is giving and who is taking."
Yeuda Adoni speaking on behalf of the Jewish religion said helping the poor and giving bread to the hungry is the duty all humanity and exists in all holy texts as a duty assigned by God to all mankind.
Dositheos Ananostopules from the Orthodox sect highlighted the point of poverty's vicious circle.
Sleiman Saikali from the Catholic sect defended love must be a lifestyle.
Kirkor Damatyan from the Armenian community stated Islam's system of foundation also has an equivalent in Christianity
UNICEF Turkey National Committee Chairman Professor Talat Halman stressed $1 trillion was spent for defense in 2005 and asked that these funds to be reassigned to help eradicate hunger and poverty.
According to reports from the World Health Organization, only one third of the world's population receives sufficient nourishment, another third is insufficiently nourished and the remainder is starving. And even today somewhere in the world, one person still dies from hunger every 3.6 seconds. (By Emre Soncan, Sezai Kalayci, Istanbul)
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