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Dear CFS partners,

The 52nd Plenary Session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS 52) will be held from 21 to 25 October 2024 in Rome, Italy.

Alongside the formal plenary sessions, CFS invites its Members, Participants and other stakeholders in the global food security and nutrition landscape to apply for one of the available side event slots offered this year.

These events will be selected by the CFS Chairperson from among the applications received by the formal deadline of 16 June 2024. The decision of the final selection will be announced in early July 2024.
These 75-minute side events are intended to enrich and complement the CFS 52 Plenary by highlighting work that is relevant to the vision and mandate of the CFS, especially where CFS policy guidelines and frameworks are effectively used to foster partnerships for advancing the 2030 Agenda and in particular SDG-2.
As in previous years, side events will be convened in a hybrid format – both in person and virtually – during the morning and lunch periods over the five days of the Plenary.
THEMATIC FOCUS

The approved side event proposals will aim to address topical themes within the CFS and its numerous stakeholders, with a view to sharing knowledge and experiences.

While the main focus shall be on addressing both core elements scheduled in the Plenary Agenda and those identified in the current Multi-Year Program of Work (MYPoW) for 2024-2027, side events also provide an opportunity for fostering dialogue on issues that are not part of the formal agenda of the CFS.

Side events may feature the launch of major studies or reports related to the CFS mandate and vision or contribute to the ongoing efforts aimed at coordinating global policy responses to the food crisis while advancing long-term food system transformation.

Priority topics include those workstreams on which the CFS and its Bureau and Advisory Group focus their work during intersessional periods: uptake of CFS policy products, inequalities, collaborative governance, the right to food or the dialogue on the nexus of science-policy interfaces.
CRITERIA, GUIDANCE AND CONDITIONS

The criteria for shortlisting and selecting CFS 52 side events are as follows:
  1. Consistency with the vision and mandate of the CFS, aligning with the main topics and issues in the CFS 52 Plenary Agenda, in the current Multi-Year Program of Work (MYPoW) or in previous policy products relevant to the SDGs and 2030 Agenda.
  2. Reflecting the CFS multi-stakeholder model, including a variety of constituencies, and considering issues such as gender parity among speakers, diverse geographic representation and youth presence.
  3. Maximizing interactivity, with at least 30%-50% of the total time allocated for audience interaction. A maximum of four speakers, including co-chairs, is recommended.
  4. Applications should be kept concise and avoid redundancy.
  5. If multiple side event applications are received on similar or complementary topics, organizers may be invited to merge their proposals. While merging is optional, it may increase the likelihood of selection.
  6. While interpretation in the official languages of the UN system is not mandatory and involves a fixed cost to be charged by FAO and borne by the side event organizers, its use may have a positive impact on the final selection of applications.
  7. Organizers are responsible for promoting their side event, although a basic communications package and support for dissemination through CFS channels will be provided.
  8. Organizers are encouraged to arrange for catering services, as previous years have shown that offering a small snack or coffee increases participation.
  9. Organizers must submit a 500-word summary of their side event outcomes and key observations within two weeks of CFS 52, for posting on the CFS 52 Side Event website.

SELECTION

Side events will be selected from among applications received by the formal deadline of 16 June 2024 by the CFS Chairperson. The decision of the final selection will be announced in early July 2024.
IMPORTANT NOTES

Application Overview
Below is an outline of the application form summarizing the information required to complete and submit your application.

Section 1: Organizers and Focal Points
Given that the CFS is a multi-stakeholder platform, applications jointly submitted by different organizations and constituencies are encouraged. In this section, you will need to list at least 4 organizers and their constituencies, and provide contact details of at least two focal points (preferably from different organizations).

Section 2: Subject and Format
This section focuses on the description of the side event including:
  • Catchy title (maximum 150 characters including spaces)
  • Brief abstract (maximum 200 words)
  • Objectives (at least three objectives, at a maximum 100 words in total)
  • Key words that best describe your side event (choose from provided list)
  • Relevance of the side event to the work of CFS (maximum 100 words)
  • CFS policy product(s) that the side event relates to (choose from provided list)
  • If the side event is about new or emerging issues not already covered by the work of CFS, please explain (maximum 150 words)
Section 3: Interpretation
Please indicate the language in which the side event will be conducted and if interpretation will be required.

MORE INFORMATION
For more information, refer to the CFS 52 Side Events Guidance Note. For inquiries, please contact CFS Secretariat at CFS-Side-Events@fao.org

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