Notícias
School Feeding is the theme of the 5th International Cuba Health Convention 2025
Representatives of the Sustainable School Feeding Network (RAES) from Latin America and the Caribbean participated in the Hygiene and Epidemiology Forum "Lessons Learned, Opportunities, and Challenges Until 2030", during the 5th Cuba Health Convention 2025, held in Havana, from April 21 to 25. 
The Brazilian delegation included Ms. Karine Santos, the General Coordinator of the Brazilian National School Feeding Program (PNAE), under the National Education Development Fund (FNDE), and Ms. Riffat Iqbal, a project analyst with the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC), under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil (MRE).
During the panel "School Feeding for Sustainable Development", Ms. Karine Santos highlighted the coverage of the Brazilian National School Feeding Program, which encompasses about 150,000 schools and assists about 40 million students, in coordination with local governments, and collaboration of 8,000 nutritionists. "This is an intersectorial issue, which involves family farming, civil society, and health," said the General Coordinator of PNAE of Brazil.
Ms. Najla Veloso, a senior specialist in school feeding with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), highlighted the experience of the 17 member countries of RAES, which, since 2018, has been facilitating regional dialogue, developing capacities, and exchanging experiences and information with the objective of strengthening school feeding programs in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Network has the purpose of contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the joint establishment of a sustainable school feeding agenda.
Field Trip
As part of the Forum's activities, members of RAES, FAO and representatives from Cuba's Ministries of Education and Agriculture, as well as officials from the National Institute of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Microbiology exchanged experiences with third-grade students from the Frank País elementary school, located in the Plaza de la Revolución municipality. During the exchange, the students talked about the importance of a healthy and nutritious diet and health care.
Through exhibitions, dramatizations and songs, the students also explored how a balanced diet not only contributes to physical growth, but also to general well-being, strengthening the connection between local food production and its impact on health.
