The conferment of the Master’s degree in “Food Innovation & Management” to the Roman documentary filmmaker will be on Friday 29th of April 2022
Pollenzo, April 2022
On Friday April 29th, Sveva Sagramola – TV host, author and documentary maker – will be awarded by the University of Gastronomic Sciences of Pollenzo with the Honoris Causa Degree in Food Innovation & Management for her long-standing commitment to promoting different cultures, populations and places. She has raised awareness on people who do not have access to primary resources, goods and basic necessities, stimulated curiosity, sharing and empathy as well as encouraged critical thinking on the theme of food and agri-food production, all while keeping the spirit of a gastronome.
Sveva Sagramola has always been actively involved in the dissemination of scientific and traditional knowledge related to the history and culture of food, addressing these matters through a holistic approach that combines ecology, anthropology, sociology, history and economics.
Thanks to her way of communicating relevant content using open dialogues and direct testimonies from distant and sometimes marginalized regions of the planet, such as Argentina, Benin, Burkina Faso, Fiji, Mali, Morocco and Togo, she has always managed to reach a wide audience, stimulate their curiosity and encouraged them to consider these topics thoroughly . Her voice has raised important issues and reinforced the key role of food culture as an educational instrument: one that allows to introduce different cultures of the world by combining scientific knowledge with popular traditions.
UNISG Rector Bartolomeo Biolatti contently says: “We are delighted to open our University classrooms after two years of pandemic which prompted us to find new ways to meet and share with each other. And for this special occasion, we will be holding the traditional ceremony and welcome Sveva Sagramola. The conferment of an honorary degree aims to acknowledge her important work as an attentive, skilled and graceful author and communicator: characteristics that are perfectly in line with the spirit and philosophy of our University”.
In this regard, Sveva Sagramola states: “I could never have imagined becoming a gastronome. I graduated in Cultural Anthropology with a thesis on the Turkana shepherds of northern Kenya, particularly on the impact of the climatic and environmental crisis on their lifestyle. And anthropology – intended as the interest in exploring man, his role as a being on this planet, his relations with nature, with the Earth, and with his social systems – is what has influenced my job as a communicator. And this is evident through the television programs I made and conducted as well as the numerous documentaries I filmed around the world, delving in the cultures and relationship between human beings and life. This is what makes me a gastronome: food is one of the main cultural expressions of humans, and the fate of our planet greatly depends on how we will produce food in the future”.
The world is moving towards an ecological transition, which involves not only environmental sustainability but also a social one. Food is the center of attention: the keeper of the dynamics that form the lasting bond between the environment and humans. Agricultural practices, remodeling of production systems, teaching proper food consumption and observing respect for producers are just some of the aspects that will be addressed in this conversion, placing human value at the top of the pyramid.
With this new awareness, a gastronome who faces the realities of the world, who comprehends and analyzes it, can be a decisive professional figure: a guide with a holistic vision in an agri-food world that seeks to nourish both the body and the mind. What we need is community action: one that aims to collect and share the stories of local producers and artisans, promote indigenous varieties and uphold the importance of biodiversity, as well as raise awareness on marginalized cultures and foster the curiosity that moves the world.
Sveva Sagramola
Sveva Sagramola was born in Rome on April 29, 1964. She graduated in Modern Literature with a thesis on Cultural Anthropology on the life of the Turkana shepherds from northern Kenya. She trained to become a professional documentary filmmaker in the television program “Mixer”, delving into various social, humanitarian and environmental issues. This central theme led her to conduct various programs such as “Professione Natura”, “Timbuctu” and Geo, which she has hosted since 1998.
She has represented AMREF (African Medical and Research Foundation) since 1999, documenting its humanitarian projects in Africa. In 2011, she was nominated “Cavaliere della Repubblica” by President Giorgio Napolitano.
University of Gastronomic Sciences of Pollenzo (UNISG)
Founded in 2004 thanks to a Slow Food initiative, the University of Gastronomic Sciences of Pollenzo is a private university legally recognized by the Italian state. It was created to endow gastronomy with academic prestige and promote an interdisciplinary approach to food study. A dynamic institution with a strong international spirit, UNISG has welcomed 3,200 students from 97 countries. The university trains gastronomes: professionals who work in the contemporary socio-economic setting with the knowledge and skills in the agri-food sector and guide food production, distribution and consumption to ensure a sustainable future for the planet.
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