Steering Committee
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Almudena Garcia Sastre
EU Policy and Advocacy Officer at FIAN Europe
She has more than 12 years of experience in agricultural and food policies at the international and European level. She joined FIAN as the EU Policy and Advocacy officer in 2021. Since then she has worked in different legislative files and political processes at European level for the just transition of food systems by placing social and environmental justice at the front and centre. She will bring to this initiative FIAN’s expertise in interconnecting grounded demands from grassroots social movements to advance in concrete tools and direction towards a paradigm shift sustained by the right to food principles.
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Charlotte Reid
Deputy Director of Global Campaigns at Compassion in World Farming
Charlotte brings over 30 years of experience in advocacy, communications, and campaigning for social change. A former journalist, she has dedicated her career to driving impactful campaigns in the NGO sector, championing animal welfare, sustainable food systems, and policy reform. With a deep understanding of media and public engagement, Charlotte plays a key role in shaping global strategies to create a more ethical and sustainable food future.
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Christophe Golay
Legal Advisor - Fondazione Mater
Christophe is a legal expert and advocate for human rights, specializing in the right to food and economic, social, and cultural rights. He focuses on international human rights law and its application to food security and governance. Previously, he served as Legal Advisor to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, contributing to global policy frameworks. With extensive experience in research, advocacy, and policy development, Christophe continues to work at the intersection of law and food justice, influencing international debates on human rights and sustainable food systems. He also serves as legal advisor ofthe Steering Committee
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Drazen Simlesa
General Coordinator of the Solidarity Economy Network – RIPESS Europe.
Works as a senior research associate at the Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences in Zagreb. The fields of work are social and solidarity economy, sustainability, permaculture and civid education. He has published eight books and several scientific papers. The last book is Public Policies for Social and Solidarity Economy – Manual for Cities (2021).
He teaches the Global Society and Sustainable Development course at Peace Studies in Zagreb. He is active in the association Green Network of Activist Groups (ZMAG) as the Coordinator of the Center of knowledge program and as the manager of the Cooperative for a Good Economy.
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Flavia Fatuzzo
Advocacy and Communication Officer at URGENCI
Flavia is a dedicated advocate for food sovereignty and agroecology, leading global communication and advocacy efforts at Urgenci to promote community-supported agriculture. As an Advocacy Representative for Nyéléni Europe and Central Asia, she has spoken at the FAO on civil society’s role in shaping just food systems. She is also part of the Equity Working Group at CSIPM, working to address systemic inequities in food governance. Flavia bridges grassroots movements with international policy, championing food as a fundamental right.
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Francesco Saverio Teruzzi
Artivatore and Cultural Project Manager - Cittadellarte, Fondazione Pistoletto
Saverio is a cultural project manager and Artivatore, dedicated to using art as a tool for social transformation. As Coordinator of Rebirth/Third Paradise Ambassadors at Cittadellarte – Fondazione Pistoletto, he leads a global network promoting art-driven change. He also founded and presides over Associazione Culturale Artivazione, fostering community engagement through creativity. With a background in insurance sciences from Sapienza Università di Roma, he combines strategic planning with cultural activism to bridge art, society, and sustainability.
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Hélène Quéau
Country director France for Action against hunger
Trained in international law and humanitarian aid management, she has held key roles in NGOs like Solidarités International and Action contre la Faim, working in crisis contexts across Afghanistan, Haiti, Sudan, Chad, and more. With over a decade of field experience as a program manager and country director, she led research on Severe Acute Malnutrition in Chad and oversaw cash transfer programs in Haiti and Mali. Returning to France in 2016, she directed operations for Première Urgence before becoming Country Director for Action contre la Faim France in 2019, shaping its advocacy and intervention strategy for the Right to Food.
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Lili Balogh
President - Agroecology Europe
Lili is a bioengineer, agronomist, and leading advocate for agroecology and food sovereignty. As President of Agroecology Europe and the Hungarian Agroecology Network, she works to strengthen agroecological movements across Europe and Hungary. Previously, she managed regenerative food system programs at Greenpeace Hungary and has been actively involved in global agroecology initiatives. A farmer in West Nógrád, she applies holistic management, permaculture, and regenerative agriculture on her land. A Landecker Democracy Fellow, Lili is committed to advancing sustainable food systems through activism, policy, and hands-on practice.
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Olga Kikou
Director of Advocacy at the European Institute for Animal Law and Policy.
Olga is a Ph.D. graduate from the University of Massachusetts. With a background in international organizations, research, and civil society advocacy, she has worked on issues ranging from animal welfare to social justice and environmental policy. She has built a strong network within EU institutions, successfully influencing policy on food, farming, and animal welfare. A key figure in the End The Cage Age ECI, she played a crucial role in its success and continues to drive EU-level advocacy for sustainable and ethical food systems.
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Paolo Naldini
Director - Cittadellarte, Fondazione Pistoletto
Paolo leads efforts to harness art as a catalyst for social transformation and sustainable development. With a background in economics and business from the University of Turin, he specializes in the intersection of culture and societal change, fostering innovative initiatives that bridge creativity and social impact.
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Pierre Maison
A peasant from Haute Savoie and was member of the Coordinating Committee of the European Coordination of La Via Campesina (ECVC) between 2018 and 2024. He is an active member of the ECVC peasant rights working group. In the past he worked for about ten years with homeless people. Afterwards he settled as a farmer in association with his brother on the family farm where they produce milk under a quality label for cheese making.
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Ramona Duminicioiu
ECORURALIS
Ramona is an agricultural activist and advocate for peasant farming, dedicated to food sovereignty and small-scale farmers' rights. As a former Coordinator for La Via Campesina Europe, she represented a global movement of over 200 million farmers. She has engaged in UN food policy through the Civil Society Mechanism (CSM) and has written extensively on trade agreements, agribusiness mergers, and local food systems for ARC2020 and EUobserver. A frequent speaker on human rights and the right to food, Ramona continues to challenge corporate influence in agriculture and advocate for fair food systems.
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Walter el Nagar
Founder, Good Food for All – Europe & Fondazione Mater
Walter el Nagar is a chef, social entrepreneur, and advocate for the right to food. As the founder of Good Food for All – Europe (GFFA-EU) and Fondazione Mater, he leads initiatives that merge culinary innovation with social justice. He established Refettorio Geneva, the only fine dining restaurant in the world that opens daily to serve those in need, and pioneered emergency food solutions like the Rapid Relief Kitchen (RRK). His work extends to international advocacy, including the European Citizens’ Initiative on the Right to Food, and he is dedicated to sustainability, zero food waste, and migrant integration through vocational training. Walter continuously challenges and reshapes the role of food in society.