Languages:

English, French and Spanish

SECTION 1: Appointment of the Special Ambassadors for the International Year of Soils (30’)

17:00-17:30

Welcoming remarks & Facilitation (5’):

Marcela Villarreal
OPC Director and International Year of Soils Secretariat

Appointment of the Special Ambassadors for the International Year of Soils 2015 (15’):

Dr. José Graziano da Silva
Director-General, FAO

Prof. Claire Chenu
Vice-Chair of the Conseil Scientifique du Patrimoine Naturel et de la Biodiversité

Prof. Tekalign Mamo
University of Haramaya

SECTION 2: Talk Show & Open discussion on healthy soils for food security (55’)

17:30-18:15

Introduction of the debate & Facilitation (5’): Marcela Villarreal, Secretariat International Year of Soils, Director, Office for Partnerships, Advocacy and Capacity Development, FAO

Talk Show & open discussion (40’):  Moderator: H.E. Laurence Argimon Pistre, Ambassador, Delegation of the European Union to the Holy See, to the Order of Malta and to the UN Agencies in Rome

Eminent speakers:

H.E. Tabare Aguerre
Minister of Agriculture of Uruguay

H.E. Aroldo Cedraz
Minister of the Federal Court of Accounts, Brazil

H.E. Ahmed Yakubu  Alhassan
Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, Ghana

Prof. Claire Chenu
Special Ambassador for the International Year of Soils

Prof. Tekalign Mamo
Special Ambassador for the International Year of Soils

Video messages from:

H.E. Petipong Pungbun Na Ayudhya,
Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Thailand (tbc)

International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA)

International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) (tbc)

La Via Campesina (tbc)

18:30

Questions and answers (10’)

Closing remarks (5’)

Ms. Maria Helena Semedo
Deputy Director General, Coordinator for Natural Resources, FAO