Closing Ceremony

The Closing Ceremony of the GSSD Expo 2011 will be a grand celebration of the event’s successes. Eminent leaders in South-South cooperation, including government officials, leaders of United Nations agencies and intergovernmental organizations, and other significant leaders of Southern initiatives will share their ongoing commitment to South-South cooperation and highlight the importance of South-South cooperation going forward. It will conclude with performances of FAO Goodwill Ambassadors and presentations of the annual South-South Cooperation Awards to individuals and organizations that have been prominent champions of South-South cooperation throughout the world. 

Performances of FAO Goodwill Ambassadors

Marcos Vinicius Born in Congonhas (Brazil), Marcos Vinicius is one of the most famous guitarists of the new generation of international guitar concert musicians. He started his career as a concert musician at the age of 14 and since then he obtained an enormous success both from the audience and from the critics, playing in the most important Brazilian and European cultural centres. At present Vinicius is the President of the Classical Guitar Academy of Milan.

Marco Masini President, Nazionale Italiana Cantanti  "Playing football taught us the value of determination and team work. We are happy doing anything that may help the underprivileged”.  The Italian Singers’ Soccer Team, appointed as FAO Goodwill Ambassadors on the occasion of World Food Day 2002, is now twenty-five years old. Some of the most famous Italian singers are involved with the association, wishing to use their image as artists and sportsmen to support this long-term charitable project that has been expanding since 1981. The Italian Singers’ Soccer Team aims at promoting a movement of solidarity directed towards protecting the neediest. Over the years, more than 400 matches have been organized and sold out stadiums in every town.  The Italian Singers’ Soccer Team has supported many charities throughout the years and has acquired an important international scene dimension, bringing its commitment to London, Moscow, Bucarest, Budapest, Sarajevo, Warsaw etc. Ten editions of the Partita del Cuore (or the Match of the Heart),of which FAO has been one of the beneficiaries, have had a total audience of 80 million people.

High-Level Segment 

	H.E. Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser President of the 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly
	Ambassador Macharia Kamau Permanent Representative of Kenya to the United Nations President of UN General Assembly High-level Committee on South-South Cooperation
	Jacques Diouf Director-General United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)