Via a video message to an international gathering of 500 experts, Pope Francis emphasized food access as a fundamental right. The experts are gathered in Milan, Italy to draft the “Milan Charter,” a document that seeks the cooperation of a wide group of stakeholders (including governments, organizations and individuals) to address issues such as hunger, food waste, and poverty. The group has convened as part of Expo 2015, and the final document will be presented to the U.N. Secretary General later this year.

Colleen Barry from Associated Press reports:

“Francis said the paradox of abundance described by Pope John Paul II — whereby there is food for everyone yet not everyone can eat — continues to be an issue despite efforts by the international community.”