New Delhi, Oct. 13 : Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit will flag off a Run and Walkathon on October 16 to celebrate World Food Day.

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is commemorating World Food Day with the theme, ‘India prepares for Commonwealth Games 2010’.

More than 2000 people from various walks of life – school children, NCC cadets, Army, senior citizens etc., would be participating in the walkathon at India Gate on the morning of 16 October. To create awareness on Food Safety and Quality, various food companies would be distributing health food and energy drinks at the Walkathon. Food Nutritionists would be present in the program to provide guidance on and safe & healthy food.

World Food Day is celebrated every year around the world on 16 October on the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 1945. The aim of the CII event is to position Delhi as a Safe Food destination before the upcoming Commonwealth Games, enhance customer consciousness and understand Consumer Rights. It will also provide know-how to Education Institutes, Consumers & Industry to maintain high standards of hygiene.

Offering hygienic and quality food would be one of the key constituents in making India a perfect host for CWG 2010. In order to further this endeavour, CII intends to educate food vendors and consumers alike on the need for the same and is actively looking at setting quality, health and hygiene standards for eateries and restaurants.

A session scheduled on the 16th October sets the stage for the World Food Day by releasing “CII Food Safety Rating Matrix for Eateries (CFSRM)’.

Key speakers during the sessions include Mr Uttam Chatterjee, Chairman CII Expert Group on Food Safety and Quality, Dr Shikha Sharma, Co Chairman Health care Yi, Mr R. K. Tandon , MD Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd, Mr V. N Gaur, CEO, Food Safety Standard Authority of India, Mr Sanjeev Kapoor, Celebrity Chef, Ms Meena Kapoor, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Shri Subodh Kant Sahay, Union Minister of Food Processing Industries, Government of India and Mr K N Shenoy, Chairman, CII Institute of Quality. (ANI)