On 26 October 2023, the World Food Prize Laureate Award Ceremony took place at the Iowa Capitol.

Ednews reports that 2023 World Food Prize Laureate Heidi Kun, the CEO and founder of Roots of Peace NGO was presented with the award.

Before the presentation of the award, the Governor of the State of Iowa Kim Reynolds greeted all the guests at the ceremony, then it was shown a short film which is devoted to the whole life of 2023 World Food Prize Laureate Heidi Kuhn. 

The film tells the story of Heid Kuhn's life and the great things she did to help people suffering from landmines. 

Later, Heidi Kunn mentioned in her speech that she did this work by putting herself in the place of mothers trying to protect their children. She expressed her gratitude to her family and friends, noting that her family, husband, children, and grandchildren always supported her and were with her in all the work she did and is doing.

In the end, when the award was presented to Heidi Kuhn, she faced another surprise.

Heidi Kühn, this year's World Food Prize winner, got a big surprise at the Iowa Capitol ceremony honoring her work to help war-torn countries rebuild their agricultural economies: The cash award that came with the prize was doubled to $500,000.

The World Food Prize Foundation board decided earlier year to increase the cash award, keeping it a secret until Thursday night's ceremony, Barreca Prenger said.

World Food Prize Foundation President Terry Branstad, a former Iowa governor and U.S. ambassador to China, made the announcement after Kühn's acceptance speech, saying, "Heidi, before we close tonight, we have a special surprise for you."

Branstad, who assumed leadership of the foundation in January, recalled how the late Ruan in 1990 saved the prize with his endowment and increased it to $250,000 from $200,000.

"So tonight, on what would be the 34th anniversary of that first $250,000 prize, the World Food Prize Foundation is honored to announce to you Heidi, effective immediately, the World Food Prize is increased to a $500,000 award," he said.

The award, founded in 1985 by Iowa native Norman Borlaug, a winner of the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize for his role in fostering "Green Revolution" agricultural improvements that saved millions from famine, is given to individuals and groups for exceptional work in addressing world hunger. This year, 1,300 people from 76 countries came to the three-day event, setting a record, Barreca Prenger said.

Kühn founded Roots of Peace, a California group that helps farmers in former battlegrounds including Afghanistan and Vietnam grow fruit, nuts, and other crops in fields once filled with landmines. Kühn has said she plans to use the award's cash prize to challenge large U.S. tech companies to donate to efforts to remove mines in embattled Ukraine.

A delegation consisting of representatives of the Embassy of Azerbaijan in the USA, ANAMA, and the International Eurasia Press Fund (IEPF) participated in the "Norman Borlog Dialogue on International Food Security" event in Iowa, USA.

Ulviyya Shahin