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30 May 2022, Dublin, Ireland: At the opening session of the 11th World Potato Congress at the RDS in Dublin today, the Director-General of
the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, QU Dongyu, will appoint the popular garden designer, broadcaster and writer, Diarmuid Gavin, as a FAO National Goodwill Ambassador for Ireland.
The nomination follows Diarmuid Gavin’s designation as a FAO Champion of Plant Health for the
International Year of Plant
Health in 2020.
In his new role as Goodwill Ambassador, Diarmuid Gavin will help FAO promote plant health and underline publicly the importance of promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems and combatting climate change through more efficient, inclusive, resilient,
and sustainable practices that can begin in peoples’ gardens or window boxes.
In an exchange of letters formalizing arrangements, the Director-General of FAO wrote that he was sure that Diarmuid’s “experience, commitment and popularity will reinforce and support FAO’s work to transform agrifood systems through better production, better
nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.”
“This is a great honour,” wrote Diarmuid Gavin, “I very much look forward to representing the great work of FAO as a Goodwill Ambassador during these challenging times.”
A short designation ceremony will take place
today - immediately after the FAO Director-General addresses the World Potato Congress (at the RDS, Dublin) at
16.45 IST (UTC+01:00).
NOTE TO MEDIA: Diarmuid Gavin is available for interviews relating to his role as FAO National Goodwill Ambassador for Ireland. Please
contact: [log in to unmask]
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger.
FAO’s goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough nutritious food to lead active, healthy lives.
With 195 members - 194 countries and the European Union - FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide.
Diarmuid Gavin has designed gardens throughout Ireland and the UK, mainland Europe, Africa and China. He has participated in the Chelsea Flower Show nine times – winning gold and silver, and
the BBC People’s Choice Award.
As a broadcaster, Diarmuid presented series for all the terrestrial broadcasters in Ireland and the UK including
Art of the Garden, Diarmuid’s Big Adventure and Gardening Together.
He has authored 13 garden design books including the international best sellers
Outdoors and Planted with the late Sir Terence Conran. His autobiographical volume,
How the Boy Next Door Turned Out was published in 2010.
Diarmuid is a patron of the Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland and in 2007, he received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Arts from Nottingham Trent University in recognition of his international reputation for contemporary garden design.
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RESOURCES FOR
MEDIA
Videos relating to Diarmuid Gavin’s work with FAO and plant health are available
here.
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