International aid leader and former S.C. Gov. David Beasley on Wednesday night shared his commitment to combating the global hunger crisis while highlighting how communities can drive meaningful change.
Beasley began his speech, which was at a Charleston event hosted by the Silence Is Not an Option (SINO) organization, by raising his hand and counting silently to five before the audience of more than 100 Charleston residents.
“Someone just died of hunger,” said Beasley, who accepted a Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the World Food Program in 2020. “Every 5 to 9 seconds, a life is lost because of this crisis. A meal is a right, not a privilege, for every person on this planet.”
The event was hosted at Circular Congregational Church and began with an introduction from Mackie Krawcheck Moore, founder of the local SINO organization, who outlined the organization’s mission to bridge societal divides by fostering informed, fact-based civic engagement.
“The goal of SINO is to bring together everyone who is tired of the fighting, anger, and name-calling and to work toward bridging the divide in our society—a divide most of us don’t want,” Moore said.
Moore emphasized the SINO Speaker Series aims to spark conversation and inspire attendees to consider their role in strengthening their communities, mobilizing those eager to create meaningful change—an approach reflected throughout Beasley’s career.
The former governor from Society Hill served as executive director of the United Nations World Food Program from 2017 to 2023, leading the organization through some of the most challenging humanitarian crises in recent history. He shared stories of his hands-on work addressing hunger in conflict zones, often collaborating with world leaders across the political spectrum.
“My career has taken me across the country and all around the world, meeting with Democrats, Republicans and global leaders and not one person has told me they’re OK with this division,” Beasley said. “We are the most connected we’ve ever been as a world digitally, and yet so divided politically. Regardless of your views of the world, the question is: what can each of us do to help?”
Beasley, who has raised millions of dollars to attack global hunger, acknowledged many people question why they should contribute to global aid efforts, especially in countries far from their own. He explained, however, that fostering happy, healthy and stable nations abroad ultimately benefits everyone, creating greater security, unity and opportunity at home.
“People wonder why they should send their taxpayer dollars down to third world countries, which I understand,” Beasley said. “First, I would hope people do it out of the goodness of their heart, but also, if you want to develop a greater budget for programs in your own country, addressing the root causes of disability globally only helps with that. We want to stabilize other countries, which in turn stabilizes the world.”
Alongside emergency response, Beasley championed long-term development as a path to stability, using his global platform—from G7 and G20 summits to the height of the COVID-19 pandemic—to advocate for international aid and raise urgent awareness about the hunger crisis.
He pointed to projects in countries like Chad and Ethiopia, where water wells, irrigation systems and other sustainable solutions helped communities move beyond short-term fixes and build lasting resilience.
“Historically, humanitarian aid programs handed out food in a short-term stock. What we have today is different,” he said. “You can talk about mitigation all you want, but now we have to deal with the idea of adaptation as well. We need to get ahead of the problem, and that is when we will see change—locally, nationally and globally.”
Beasley concluded with a call for unity and civic action.
“Today, when I see so much division around the world, it breaks my heart,” said Beasley, who served as South Carolina’s governor from 1995 to 1999. “We are at a crossroads, and what America needs most is to come together. That begins with each of us—sitting down, seeing one another as equals and recognizing that everyone is equally deserving. America can’t be great unless America is good.”
WCBD TV anchor Carolyn Murray led a question-and-answer session with Beasley to close the evening.
“World hunger is a crisis that touches nearly every corner of our world,” Murray said. “The challenge is ensuring that food reaches every plate with dignity, fairness and foresight.”
During the open forum, attendees posed questions for a joint response from Beasley and Murray, touching on their work addressing the global hunger crisis and the broader impact of civic engagement within the SINO organization.
Amid the conversation on these issues, one clear takeaway emerged: despite differences, people share far more in common than not—and now, more than ever, is the time to embrace that truth and let it bring everyone together.
Help keep the City Paper free.
No paywalls.
No subscription cost.
Free delivery at 800 locations.
Help support independent journalism by donating today.