The symposium will explore the relationship between sustainable food production systems, zoonotic diseases, and human health, in light of the emerging One Health principle. participants will include academics, international law experts, agronomists, representatives of international organizations, economists, and philosophers of science.
Through interdisciplinary dialogue, the symposium will examine how transforming food systems through the One Healthperspective can help prevent future pandemics and foster sustainable well-being for both people and the planet
Venue: The American University of Rome, Via Pietro Roselli 16, 00153, Roma.
Registration to attend: At the foot of this page.
Background
The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the profound vulnerability of societies to emerging infectious diseases. The frequency of zoonotic epidemics and pandemics is expected to rise, driven by a complex interplay of factors, including concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) and environmental degradation, which the WHO identifies as significant contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions and public health risk.
In response, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) established the One Health High-Level Expert Panel in 2021. The Panel defines One Health as an integrated approach that recognizes the interdependence of human, animal, and ecosystem health and mobilizes multiple sectors to address shared challenges such as food security, climate change, environmental sustainability, and global health threats.
As awareness of these interconnections grows, One Health has emerged as a critical framework for rethinking the future of food systems. Building on this perspective, the Symposium aims to renew debate on the mutual dependence between human health and that of other living beings in the context of food insecurity, climate change, and international health emergencies, including zoonotic diseases such as COVID-19, Mpox, Ebola, and the resurgence of polio.
Reflecting the transdisciplinary nature of One Health, the Symposium will convene scholars and practitioners from the health sciences, agricultural and food systems, and the social and human sciences to foster collaborative dialogue and advance resilient, sustainable food system solutions.
PROVISIONAL PROGRAM
| 09.30-10.00 am | Registration and Coffee |
| 10.15-10.30 am | Welcoming Remarks Sabrina Joseph, Provost and Vice-President of Academic Affairs - AUR |
| Introduction Maria Grazia Quieti and Marina Mefleh - AUR Ilja Richard Pavone - CID Ethics (CNR) |
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Session I. Health, Environmental and Agricultural Perspectives |
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| 10.30-11.45 am | Microbiomes as the foundations of the link between the food system and One Health Fontaine Fanette, Consultant - FAO |
| The Green Deal needs deep changes) Roberto Defez - Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, Naples (CNR) |
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| The Role of Nature Based Solutions for Environmental Health Carlo Calfapietra- Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Institute, Orvieto (CNR) |
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| A One Health Perspective on the WHO Global Strategy for Food Safety 2022–2030 Carmen Savelli - WHO |
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| Q&A Session | |
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Session II: The Legal Perspective |
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| 11.45-01.00 pm | One Health and the Pandemic Agreement: Legal and Governance Perspectives for Improved Global Health Security Stefania Negri- University of Salerno |
| Illegal Wildlife Trade, Deforestation, Biodiversity Loss and the Prevention of Pandemics Ilja Richard Pavone - CID Ethics (CNR) |
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| The EU approach to One Health Flavia Zorzi Giustiniani - Link University |
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| Food Security, Biotechnology and IP Rights Ilaria De Gasperis- CID Ethics (CNR) |
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| Q&A Session | |
| 01:00-02:15 pm | Lunch |
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Session III: The social sciences and humanities perspectives |
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| 02.15-03.15 pm | Educating for Sustainability: The Young Shepherds School as a One Health Living Lab for Rural Regeneration Daniela Storti - CREA |
| One Health for Pandemic Prevention, Food Systems Resilience and Ecosystem Health in the Central Asia Region: an economic perspective Giacomo Branca - Tuscia University and AUR |
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| The ethical framework for the nexus between sustainable food production and human health and our responsibility towards future generations Maurizio Balistreri- Tuscia University |
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| Q&A Session | |
| 03.15-03.30 pm | Wrap-up Marina Mefleh and Maria Grazia Quieti- AUR, Ilja Richard Pavone - CID Ethics (CNR) |
Scientific Committee
Giacomo Branca, Ilaria De Gasperis, Marina Mefleh, Ilja Richard Pavone, Maria Grazia Quieti
Organizing Committee
- Marina Mefleh, m.mefleh@aur.edu (AUR)
- Ilja Richard Pavone, iljarichard.pavone@cnr.it (CID Ethics, CNR)