Business Lecture by Dr. Maria Grazia Quieti

Executive Director of the US-Italy Fulbright Commission

Tuesday, March 26, 6.30 pm: Auriana Auditorium, American University of Rome

Second in the AUR Business Studies Department's Spring Lecture Series, the talk will focus on cultural approaches to food networks and compare trends in the US and in Italy. Why is "Eating an Agricultural Act"? Wendell Berry's proposition is the starting point of Dr Maria Grazia Quieti's presentation, which will show how agriculture, as the human management of ecosystems, affects the environment, climate, health and national and global food security. What are the negotiated EU-US perspectives on agriculture and what are the consumers' responses? Using case studies, Dr. Quieti will highlight the emergence of food-based civic food networks and social movements in Italy and the U.S. With a national and international outreach, and driven by sustainability goals, these networks may represent forms of food democracy and food citizenship in that citizens/consumers can bring changes to how food is cultivated and produced.

Dr Maria Grazia Quieti is the Executive Director of the U.S.-Italy Fulbright Commission in Italy; she was previously Senior Policy Officer at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) where she was responsible for policy projects in many countries at different levels of development, including China, India, Syria, Burkina Faso and Mali, to name a few. She holds a Ph.D. from Cardiff University, a Master's degree from Harvard and a Laurea from La Sapienza University in Rome.

Dr. Quieti's lecture is a joint event with the Harvard Club of Rome, and is open to the public. There will be light refreshments after the talk. Send an email to [email protected] to RSVP for this special event.