With the objective of officially launching the first World Food Safety Day observance, FAO and WHO will host an event and multisector celebration. The event will showcase FAO and WHO’s commitment to food safety as part of the drive to achieve zero hunger and reach the targets of the 2030 Agenda. This event will call for various stakeholders to engage in global observances of the Day, through a variety of proposed actions and activities. It aims to increase understanding about the importance of food safety and the contributions it can make to food and nutrition security, global health, One Health and the achievement of the SDGs.

The first ever World Food Safety Day (WFSD) will draw attention and inspire action to help prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks, contributing to food security, human health, economic prosperity, agriculture, market access, tourism and sustainable development.

On 20 December 2018 the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 73/250 proclaiming a World Food Safety Day, a process initiated by Costa Rica through the Codex Alimentarius Commission in 2016 and supported through a resolution of the 40th Session of the FAO Conference in July 2017.