The Prime Minister today announced that his planned Olympic Global Food Summit will take place on 12 August, the last day of the Games. He made his announcement while meeting with David Beckham who pressed Mr Cameron to take action on global childhood malnutrition.
Our chief executive Justin Forsyth welcomed the news:"Today the Prime Minister is firing the starting gun, signalling that the world needs to sit up and take urgent action on the needless deaths of many millions of children," he said.
He added: "Hunger claims the lives of 300 children every hour. The Olympic summit offers real hope that this could change. It won't end the growing crisis right away - but if it can agree a target to reduce child malnutrition and set out a clear ambition for 2013 - when Britain hosts the G8 - it could be the most impressive Olympic legacy ever. "
Mr Forsyth said the summit was coming at a critical moment for many reasons.
Key commodities like corn and soya have hit record prices over the last few weeks, pricing millions out of buying vital foods.
Climate change leading to crop failure and rising fuel prices is also making it harder for parents to provide nutritious food for their children
Save the Children's latest research shows the first rise in a decade for the number of children who are suffering from acute malnutrition.
Third of under five deaths
In the last 10 years, the charity says, the world has made massive progress on poverty, infant mortality, and education, but alarmingly, little or no progress has been made on malnutrition the underlying cause of a third of all child deaths under five.
"In recent years, Beijing, Athens and Sydney, have all claimed wonderful legacies from their Games, with new housing, sports arenas and urban regeneration. But London's legacy could be the biggest yet, if the world follows Britain's lead and acts to help millions of the world's neediest children." Justin Forsyth added.
UNICEF ambassador David Beckham met with the Prime Minister Thursday afternoon to deliver a letter signed by numerous showbusiness and sports personalities calling on David Cameron to take action on the global hunger crisis.
Last week we launched our Race Against Hunger campaign aimed at ensuring hunger remains at the top of the Prime Minister's agenda through to next year.
Sign our petition to David Cameron urging him to lead the world to make the decisions that will give every child a life free from hunger.
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