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Event
18 October 2025

SIANI Meeting in Rome: Resilient food systems in turbulent times

A ceiling covered in flags with a spring of grain in the foreground

A ceiling covered in flags with a spring of grain in the foreground

Are you planning to be in Rome in October? Join our upcoming meeting in Rome on 18 October – the weekend between the World Food Forum flagship event and CFS53. We welcome participants from academia, the public and private sectors, civil society, and international organizations working in different sectors all over the world towards more sustainable food systems.

Date: 18 October

Time: 09:30-16:00

Venue: Rome, Italy: Casa Fluviale, Via del Porto Fluviale 22

Theme

In an era marked by recurring and protracted crises – climate change, conflict, economic instability, and global health challenges – the urgency to transform our food systems has never been greater. These crises continue to expose the deep vulnerabilities and inequities embedded within our current food systems, highlighting the need for a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable approach.

This event will bring together a diverse range of stakeholders – from policymakers and researchers, to civil society and private sector actors – to explore actionable strategies for food system transformation. As we are in Rome right after the World Food Forum flagship event and Youth Assembly, we will in particular explore how youth engage meaningfully in this transformation. Through examples from our network and collaborative dialogue, we will examine what it takes to build food systems that can withstand shocks, empower marginalized communities, and ensure equitable access to nutritious food for all.

Join us as we collectively ask: How do we get there, and how can the SIANI network come together and contribute?

During lunch, Ristolab will give us a live cooking show and lead a discussion on traditional food, culture and sustainability in the Mediterranean.

Preliminary agenda

09:15 Registration and coffee

09:30 Welcoming remarks

  • Cecilia Nordin Van Gansberghe, SIANI Chair

09:30 Presentations and panels by network members from across the world and sectors:

  • Amy Duchelle, Senior Forestry Officer, Team Leader Forests & Climate at FAO
  • Celia Burgaz, Project Scientific Officer at Joint Research Centre – European Commission 
  • Judy Matu, National Executive Chair at Association of Women in Agriculture in Kenya (TBC)
  • Kuntum Melati, Public Policy, SDGs, Food Systems, Circular Economy at FAO
  • Maria Taddesse, Head of Business Development at We Effect
  • Steven Carr, co-founder at Agripreneurship Alliance

12:00 Live cooking show and lunch by Sofia Cavalleri and Amabile Cortiglia at Ristolab with locally produced ingredients from Cilento: Mediterranean homemade Cavatello with Blue Fish (vegetarian option available), Cilento White Sundried Figs

14:00 Roundtable discussions

15:55 Closing remarks

  • Marija Milivojevic, Sweden’s Deputy Permanent Representative to FAO
  • Madeleine Fogde, Director of SIANI

16:00 Networking and mingle

 

Let’s come together to share stories, spark ideas, and strengthen our collaborative efforts for resilient, inclusive and rights-based food systems! 

 

Times

From 18 October 2025 at 09:15 to 18 October 2025 at 18:00