30-Hour Famine, a new initiative taken by the Center for Student Leadership, Ethics and Public Service (CSLEPS) Team Hunger and Homelessness Committee, begins Friday at 10 a.m.

The main aim of the event is focusing political and social attention on the global issue of hunger, said Chris Adkins, director of the CSLEPS Service-Leadership Team Hunger and Homelessness Committee, which is organizing the event.

“Statistically speaking, the number of people that die due to hunger per day is equivalent to deaths due to five jumbo jets crashing,” said Adkins. “It is very important to educate the society about the importance of food and what being hungry really means. It is essential to put pressure on the politicians with this issue.”

Adkins said that hunger worldwide is a more pressing problem now than it ever has been before.

“Today, more food is produced globally than ever, and in spite of that we have more hungry people globally than we ever had,” he said.

The event will host activities when the fast starts, like soliciting signatures for a petition asking Congress to not lower the value of food stamps and a photo scavenger hunt. The 30-Hour Famine ends with the breaking of the fast, followed by speeches from Bob Patterson, distinguished professor of crop science, and Mike Giancola, director of CSLEPS.

To register for the event, go to http://ncsu.edu/csleps/leadership/slc.htm.

Adkins said he hoped that this event would serve as a springboard to “Famines” on other college campuses nationwide.

“Publicity for such events is important to get more and more people to know about it. This event is in its first year; from next year onward, we are planning to spread it out to as many as 120 universities across the U.S. This will help [30-Hour Famine] to gain more publicity,” Adkins said.

Tierza Watts, associate director for CSLEPS, said this initiative will help educate the students about hunger.

“I’m personally excited that they are doing the event as most students have no idea what it means to really be hungry,” she said. “If you commit to not eating for the 30 hours, you will be more aware of the physical and emotional toll that hunger can take on a person.”

Melissa Green, assistant director for CSLEPS, also has high hopes for the event.

“Both the University and the Center for Student Leadership, Ethics, and Public Service continue to demonstrate a commitment to helping students become more aware of issues of hunger and homelessness impacting the community, locally and globally,” said Green. “The 30-Hour Famine is particularly exciting to see students take the initiative on this type of program, as it has been completely developed and run by students on the CSLEPS Service-Leadership Team Hunger and Homelessness Committee.”

Adkins said he hopes all N.C. State students and faculty participate in the event: either by attending the event or fasting for 30 hours beginning at 10 a.m. Friday.

“I encourage all the students to register for the event and participate either actively or passively. We are hoping for a good response for this event,” said Adkins.