BYU Hunger Banquet

BYU Hunger Banquet aims to open students' eyes to the plight of the poor | Deseret News

With recent earthquakes and other natural disasters ripping nations apart, advocates for the poor think the world can no longer turn a blind eye to poverty.

And an annual event at BYU hopes to help by raising awareness of the extent and problems of the poor.

The Hunger Banquet promotes awareness with hopes that participants can work together for a solution. The theme for the 20th annual banquet is "Celebrate Human Dignity." The fund-raising event includes dinner, a speaker and a show, but with a twist.

"Ninety percent of the world's population lacks the means to purchase even the most basic goods," according to the Smithsonian Institution.

More than 700 attended the first of two banquets Thursday night, and the event is expected to sell out its 1,200-seat capacity on Saturday night.

Upon arrival at the banquet, patrons were split into different groups, which represent the world's social classes. Dinner was then served according to social standing. Ten percent of the guests represent the high-income level. They were seated at fancy tables, barricaded off from other guests, and served Tucanos.


The middle class, making up 20 percent, were arraigned in seats along the edges of the room and served a hot dog. The rest of the guests represented the low-income demographic and were left sitting on the floor, sharing a bowl of rice and beans with their neighbor.

Volunteers dressed as "tourists" made their way through the masses, commenting about their curious behavior of those sitting on the floor and taking pictures. Volunteers with signs representing "Greed" and "Corruption" also made their way through the crowd.

"Greed" offered one man a hot dog if he would give her someone else's food in exchange. Others were given an opportunity to upgrade their meal or buy their way into the upper class. "The idea is to exhibit that sometimes all things have a price," said Angie Fairchild, who portrayed greed.

"It's how the world works," she said.

Keith Monroe, a visitor from San Diego, took part in the "corruption," buying his way to the upper class. "It seems a little inappropriate to be sitting at the table dining exquisitely when there were so many with less," he said.

While it may seem unfair to pay the same amount for a ticket only to be treated so differently, the banquet is meant to teach a lesson.

The banquet did much to highlight the beauty of different cultures with traditional dances and songs. But more than just raise awareness for poverty, the theme aimed at changing stigmas about the poor.