June 3
1:10-1:45pm
Room 520

Hear keynote speaker Daniel Balaban‘s inspirational international perspective on the role of school food as a lever for social, economic, and environmental transformation. Daniel Balaban, a central leader of Brazil’s school food movement and now the World Food Programme Centre of Excellence against Hunger in Brazil, will provide updates from this rapidly growing global movement — one that Canada is now proudly part of. This session is made possible thanks to the support and collaboration of BCC.

The session highlights Canada’s recent progress, including its commitment to establishing a permanent national school food program, and recognizes the leadership and collective mobilization of stakeholders gathered at the Forum. 

Drawing on one of the most advanced and innovative school feeding programs in the world, Daniel Balaban will demonstrate that lasting transformation is possible when public policies are grounded in a rights-based approach, supported by clear targets and strong governance.  Brazil’s experience illustrates how universality, local procurement from family farmers, and mandatory nutritional standards, when supported by civil society mobilization and legislation, can reinforce both children’s health and local economies. 

This session will inspire collective action and encourage participants to envision a shared path forward — toward a sustainable, well-structured school food system capable of delivering meaningful, long-term change for children and their communities.