World Food Day: Food Is Medicine and Eating for Health

Co-sponsored by Food Tank, ASU’s Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems, UN FAO, and The Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation.

Agenda

12:30 PM. Lunch

1:30 PM. Welcome, Land Acknowledgement, and Framing of the Day 

• Kathleen Merrigan, Executive Director, Arizona State University Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems

• Lyndsey Waugh, Executive Director, Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation

• Tom Pesek, Senior Liaison Officer, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

• Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank

1:50PM. In Conversation with Michel Nischan

• Michel Nischan, a James Beard Award–winning chef, author, and food equity advocate, and the Co-Founder and Chairman of Wholesome Wave.

2:15 PM. Changemaker Spotlight: Denisa Livingston

• Denisa Livingston, a Diné (Navajo) community health advocate and Slow Food International Indigenous Councilor for the North American region

2:40PM. Fireside Chat: “Reality Check: Food Policy in a Post-SNAP Cuts Era”

• Crystal FitzSimons, President of the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC)

• Moderated by Kathleen Merrigan, Executive Director, Arizona State University Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems

3:05PM. A Farmers Perspective: Arnot Duncan

• Arnot Duncan, a fourth-generation farmer and owner of Duncan Family Farms, is a leader in organic and sustainable agriculture

3:10PM. In Conversation with Selena Ahmed

• Selena Ahmed, Senior Director at the American Heart Association and Global Director of the Periodic Table of Food Initiative  

3:30 PM. Changemaker Spotlight: Nick Konat

• Nick Konat, President and Chief Operating Officer, Sprouts

3:35 PM. Intro to Fireside: Rick Leach, Director, Food is Medicine at the Arizona State University Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems

3:40 PM. Fireside Discussion “Food is Medicine and Eating for Health”

• Chef Pierre Thiam, James Beard Hall of Fame–inducted chef and founder of Yolélé Foods, nationally celebrated for elevating West African nutrition and aligning traditional food wisdom with contemporary health equity and food-as-medicine perspectives

4:05 PM. Changemaker Spotlight: TBD

• TBD

4:10 PM. Closing Reflections 

• Danielle Nierenberg, President, Food Tank

• Kathleen Merrigan, Executive Director, Arizona State University Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems

• Tom Pesek, Senior Liaison Officer, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

4:20 PM - 5:00 PM. Breakout Conversations (40 Mins)

• Soil, gut health connections for healthy eating

• Advancing food as medicine policy through innovation

• Building on local initiatives

5:00 PM. Reception

There is no cost to attend, but organizers request that you RSVP. Lunch and a reception are included. The event code is "WorldFoodDay".