Pope Leo XIV to Visit UN World Food Programme
Pope Leo XIV will visit the headquarters of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) on June 22, according to the Prefecture of the Papal Household. The Holy Father, accepting the invitation from the Executive Director of the…
Pope Leo XIV will visit the headquarters of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) on June 22, according to the Prefecture of the Papal Household. The Holy Father, accepting the invitation from the Executive Director of the World Food Programme, will attend the organization’s Rome headquarters to meet with participants at the annual session of the Executive Board, staff members, and their families.
The announcement of the visit was made public by the Holy See Press Office, which published a statement issued by the Prefecture of the Papal Household. This visit underscores Pope Leo XIV’s ongoing commitment to addressing global hunger issues.
Last month, Pope Leo XIV's prayer intention was “so that everyone might have food.” He invited Catholics around the world to pray and actively work towards this intention, highlighting how millions continue to suffer from hunger while so much food is wasted. His message resonates amid alarming statistics from the World Food Programme.
According to the WFP’s 2026 Global Outlook, this year, 318 million people will face food crises or even worse situations. The WFP also cautioned that the conflict in the Middle East could push an additional 45 million people into facing dire hunger before the middle of this year. Pope Leo XIV’s visit follows a previous engagement on October 16, 2025, when he visited the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) to mark World Food Day and celebrate the organization’s 80th anniversary.
In his address at the FAO, Pope Leo XIV reaffirmed the Holy See’s support for the institution and called for a collective global commitment to eradicate hunger and malnutrition. His visit to the WFP aims to further reinforce this mission and highlight the crucial importance of united global efforts in the fight against hunger.
