Our Food for Thought Collaborative event which took place on Friday May 17th in the GMIT, Castlebar, Co. Mayo. It was organised in partnership with Afri, Teacht Anair, Food Sovereignty Ireland and the IEN-organised National Biodiversity Week. The event came the day before Afri’s Annual Famine Walk in Louisburg.
Read the full report on this event
Food for Thought offered a reflective learning space which in 2019 focussed on transformational change. There were two guest speakers – Hannie van Geel from La Via Campesina and Michael McGaughan, author of Coming Home. While a central theme was food sovereignty, the reflection will address the wider question of transformation.
Participants worked in small groups to consider their personal experiences of transformational change, how this might manifest itself in terms of community resilience and food security, and what strategies might be adopted to achieve it.
There was music, food sharing and open time during the day. The event began at 11 and concluded at 5, and was free of charge. Outdoor space was used during the day.
Programme for the day:
10.30-11 Registration and coffee – we’d appreciate if you could aim to arrive in time for registering before 11 am
11.00 Welcome from Anne B. Ryan (Feasta)
11.05 Music by John Hoban and Emer Mayock
11.15 Hanny Van Geel, Food Sovereignty and Resilience, introduced by Joe Murray of Afri
11.35 Group response
12.00 Plenary: What is Transformational Change? (Joss and Boru Douthwaite)
Group Work: What is TC for you? – your experiences
1.30 Break for food – Music accompaniment
2.30 Intro to afternoon – Anne B. Ryan; overview of morning
2.40 Michael McCaughan – Food, Language and Resilience
3.00 Group response
3.15 Bringing it all together: Implications and Outcomes (Joss and Boru Douthwaite)
4.15 Final plenary: Feedback from rapporteurs and next steps
4.30 Music by John Hoban and Emer Mayock
5pm Close
