(AGENPARL) – mar 16 maggio 2023 FAO Media s[A blue and orange sign with white text
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International Tea Day 2023: “Bringing people together over a cup of tea”
FAO to host global event on 19 May, 14:00-15:45 CEST
The world is poised to mark International Tea Day 2023, at a challenging time for our economies and societies. Tea can play a key role both in bringing people together and reminding us of our joint commitment to build a better world, free of poverty and hunger, through collaboration and solidarity.
Furthermore, tea production and trade contribute to employment, exports earnings and food security in many of the poorest countries, while smallholders are responsible for 60 percent of world tea production.
In this context, on Friday, 19 May, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is hosting a global celebration for International Tea Day 2023 at its Rome headquarters. It takes place ahead of the official day which annually falls on 21 May as designated by the United Nations.
The event, which will be opened by FAO Director-General QU Dongyu, will focus on smallholder tea producers, reaffirming the commitment to support them and help them overcome the challenges they face.
This will be followed by a panel discussion on how to achieve a better, fairer, more inclusive and sustainable tea industry that benefits smallholders and how to boost tea consumption through innovative and forward-looking strategies.
The event can be followed on Zoom by registering [HERE](https://fao.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_k0ihfhqPQIyLyGKm2LUkwQ) and will also be webcast live [HERE](https://www.fao.org/webcast/home/en/item/6177/icode/)
Speakers include:
QU Dongyu, Director-General, FAO
Dr Ramesh Pathirana, Minister for Plantation Industries, Sri Lanka
GUANG Defu, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of China to FAO, representing the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs, TANG Renjian
François Nkulikiyimfu, Permanent Representative of Rwanda to FAO, representing the Minister for Trade and Industries, Jean Chrysostome Ngabitsinze
Peris Mudida, Chief Executive Officer, Tea Board of Kenya, representing the Honourable Franklin Mithika Linturi, Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock
Development
Sharon Hall, Chairperson, Intergovernmental Group on Tea
Maria Helena Semedo, Deputy Director-General, FAO
Máximo Torero Cullen, Chief Economist, FAO
Showcasing the tea sector’s role in supporting rural livelihoods
Also on Friday 19 May, an exhibition and a tea-tasting event will take place at FAO, in collaboration with the [United Nations Women’s Guild](https://www.unwg.org/).
The exhibition aims to educate visitors about the key role the sector plays for smallholders and rural livelihoods, and its contribution to the achievement of the [Sustainable Development Goals](https://www.fao.org/sustainable-development-goals/en/), and in particular showcase the significance of women along the tea value chain the FAO Newsroom for more details and for interviews with our experts:
RESOURCES FOR THE MEDIA
Visit the [event webpage](http://www.fao.org/international-tea-day) to learn more
[FAO Markets and Trade](https://www.fao.org/markets-and-trade/en/)