Brazilian president to be awarded by UN for fighting hunger

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will next week receive the "Champion in the Battle Against Hunger" award from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), local press reported Friday.

The United Nations says Lula was chosen because he prioritized the fight against hunger in his two terms of presidency.

The award will be handed to Lula by WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran, who will visit projects run by the Brazilian government's "Fome Zero" (Zero Hunger) program in Brasilia and other Brazilian cities.

Sheeran praised the "active role" played by Lula's government in anti-hunger efforts in Brazil and other countries.

He made special mention of an interesting Brazilian project which provides school children with quality meals, attracting them to attend school.

In late April, Lula was elected by the U.S. weekly magazine Time as one of the most influential names in the world.

In 2009, he was chosen by the French newspaper Le Monde and the Spanish El Pais as Person of the Year for his role of leadership in Latin America.

Source:Xinhua