Press Release: #UniversalPlate Campaign

#UniversalPlate a global campaign to serve one million meals for people in need throughout the weekend of World Food Day

As part of the Social Gastronomy Movement’s (SGM) annual summit, organizations, individuals, universities, and restaurants unite in solidarity in a collective action to serve and raise our global voice against hunger during the weekend of October 15-17, 2021. 


ZURICH, Switzerland, September 30, 2021 -- The #UniversalPlate campaign, kicking off on October 15,  is set to celebrate and bring attention to initiatives working every day to fight hunger and foster social equity. Through widespread social media coverage, the goal is to engage people from all backgrounds in food systems transformation at a time when food insecurity is affecting 957 million people in the world.


This campaign is coordinated by the Social Gastronomy Movement (SGM) as part of the SGM Summit, the NGO’s most significant event of the year, reaching an audience from over 50 countries. The full schedule of the event includes the Universal Series, consisting of:

  1. The Universal Table-  an opening panel discussion 

  2. The Universal Kitchen - a series of virtual cooking classes hosted by renowned and emerging chefs 

  3. The #UniversalPlate global in-field action campaign


Through the #UniversalPlate campaign, SGM will unite individuals, social organizations, restaurants, and universities in more than 17 countries. The campaign is open to anyone around the world who wishes to volunteer, cook, and serve those in need in their local communities. Throughout the weekend, SGM’s social media will provide a lens into the social gastronomy actions worldwide.


“Food is a universal language, and it is the thread that ties together us as humans, the Social Gastronomy Movement, and our work,” explains SGM Co-Founder and Orchestrator Nicola Gryczka. “#UniversalPlate serves as an umbrella to raise our voices collectively for zero hunger, in solidarity. By coming together across the globe to celebrate World Food Day, we will serve one million meals, raise our collective voice, and demonstrate the power that cooking and sharing a meal can have. “


While the campaign’ is to serve one million meals, the #UniversalPlate amplifies and inspires action across borders and sectors in the effort toward Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger. The dishes served as part of this campaign will be united by a recipe that: 

  1. Values local production (sourced by small fishers and farmers)

  2. Nutrient-rich

  3. Authentic and in line with the gastronomic tradition of each location

  4. Served free of charge 

 

By cooking with their teams in respective locations, participants will celebrate local and cultural traditions, put in action zero waste practices, and promote food solidarity. This campaign will bring visibility to SGM member organizations and acknowledge the local communities working to fight hunger, ensure food access, and promote social equity in the face of the ‘three C’s’: COVID, climate, and conflict. 

Confirmed participants include organizations, universities, restaurants, and communities in the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, USA, Switzerland, Sweden, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Guatemala, Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, East Timor, Kenya, Ghana, and Ecuador. The Migrant Kitchen, AGREA, Comida para Todos, and Gastromotiva are a few of the many organizations taking part. Everyone is encouraged to participate, even if it is just cooking a meal for a friend who could use the support.  Those interested in participating in the #UniversalPlate should fill out the following interest form: https://forms.gle/daUFqYC3WABYJQz5A.

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ABOUT SGM

The Social Gastronomy Movement (SGM) is a global network of over 180 chefs, grassroots organizations, farmers, academics, activists, and social entrepreneurs that use the power of food for social change. As a network, we foster our individual and collective capacity toward food systems transformation. SGM has a global base of members mapped in more than 60 countries across five continents. Corporate partners include Griffith Foods, Cargill Foundation, and The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Founded in 2017, SGM has been featured at global events, including the World Economic Forum, SXSW, and TED.

Link to SGM’s press kit: https://trello.com/b/W4279sCQ/social-gastronomy-movement

About the SGM Summit 

The SGM Summit is a yearly event where lovers of gastronomy and those working toward food systems transformation gather to exchange in meaningful dialogue, share knowledge, and take local action around the world. More information about the annual SGM Summit can be found here: https://socialgastronomy.org/summit-2021.



For more information and media support, please contact:


Press Contact

Maya Mehta - maya@socialgastronomy.org
+1 (410) 9201205 



SGM Team