Indigenous Peoples' Food Systems for Health Promotion: Templates for Interventions
2008 MEETING OF CASE STUDY PARTNERS
May 5-10, 2008
BELLAGIO STUDY AND CONFERENCE CENTER, BELLAGIO, ITALY
All participants arrived well prepared with documents and presentations in hand and were ready to approach objectives. All case studies with interventions ongoing or completed presented progress in their communities. We were reminded that while there is great diversity of cultures and people in our project, the problems and challenges that indigenous populations face are very similar. Values and principles common to all groups became evident. During both formal presentations and informal interactions, we had the opportunity to share experiences and lessons learned and to problem-solve challenges facing each community. Many individuals expressed great appreciation for the opportunity to discover new strategies, activities and integrated approaches that could be brought back to their respective communities. Once again, we reaffirmed our common vision and optimism that the goals of the group are achievable.
Throughout the week, the exchange of ideas and experiences was invaluable to chapter development for an initial draft of ideas for our next publication. A full-colour photograph-poster highlighting the CINE-Bellagio meetings was distributed, as were DVDs completed for the Gwich’in and Pohnpei case studies.
Ongoing interviews were completed and photos taken for the DVD packages. We discussed how to use these DVDs that document success stories at local, national and international levels to help achieve environmental protection and promotion of Indigenous Peoples’ food systems for health.
Conference Organizers
Harriet V. Kuhnlein, PhD, RD
Professor, Centre for Indigenous Peoples’ Nutrition and Environment
Macdonald Campus of McGill University
Chief Bill Erasmus
Regional Chief, Assembly of First Nations
Chair, CINE Governing Board
Dina Spigelski, MSc, RD
Project Manager
Centre for Indigenous Peoples’ Nutrition and Environment
Macdonald Campus of McGill University