FOOD FOR HEALTH, FOOD FOR EARTH - The Mediterranean Diet at the Crossroads of Public Health, Climate Action, and Cultural Diplomacy

FOOD FOR HEALTH, FOOD FOR EARTH The Mediterranean Diet at the Crossroads of Public Health, Climate Action, and Cultural Diplomacy September 23, 2026 | 9:30 AM–12:00 PM Pless Hall, New York University | 82 Washington Square East, New York How can a living food heritage help shape a healthier, more resilient future? During Climate Week NYC, NYU Steinhardt’s Office of Global Affairs welcomes Future Food Institute and the Mediterranean Diet Study Center of Pollica for a gathering connecting nutrition, climate action, cultural heritage, and public policy. The event will be introduced by Lisa Sasson, Associate Dean for Global Affairs and Experiential Learning and Clinical Professor in NYU Steinhardt’s Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, with a welcome from Sara Roversi, President of Future Food Institute. As host, NYU Steinhardt provides a vital setting for bringing academic knowledge into dialogue with international policy and community experience. The Mediterranean Diet encompasses much more than what we eat. It connects landscapes, biodiversity, farming and fishing traditions, shared meals, and the relationships that sustain communities. As climate pressures and unequal access to healthy food intensify, this conversation will explore how that living heritage can inform practical action for human and planetary health. Maurizio Martina, FAO Deputy Director-General, will deliver opening remarks. A discussion on food, policy, and public health will bring together Stefano Pisani, David Laborde, Giulia Lucertini, Pasquale di Rubbo, Robert E. Graham, and J. Robin Moon, connecting perspectives from local government, FAO, academia, the European Commission, medicine, and farmers markets. A keynote by Roberto Vicinanza, Associate Professor of Gerontology at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, will explore the relationship between the Mediterranean Diet, health, and longevity. Edmondo Cirielli, Italian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, will deliver closing remarks, looking toward the International Day of the Mediterranean Diet. From Pollica to New York, the gathering invites researchers, policymakers, students, and practitioners to connect heritage with the decisions that will shape our food systems. Registration opens at 9:30 AM. The program begins at 10:00 AM. Register to attend⁠