COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT & CONFERENCE PLANNING

In an age where community involvement and partnership with civil society are increasingly being recognized as indispensable, there is clearly a growing potential for cooperative development and renewal worldwide.

- Kofi Annan -

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

A range of community development experience: from developing a strategy for economic development through tourism in the Niagara Region of Ontario, to building a sustainable community in Tocoa, Honduras; and from writing proposals for multicultural long-term care beds in Ontario, to developing a welcome protocol for foreign students in Italian school districts in the Province of Turin. In addition, a focus on cultural exchanges and cultural events promoting intercultural dialogue and youth creativity.

  • Coordinated the “Floating Voices” Creative Arts Contest carried out by Maydan Association with the theme: Embracing the Mediterranean Means Saving Europe. The competition attracted young writers from across the Mediterranean with seven short story and poetry winners from: Algeria, Spain, Morocco, Egypt, Portugal and Italy. Public reading of Floating Voices creative arts contest for youth aboard the Mediterranea. (Maydan Association, 2019).
  • Coordinated the Tutti Uguali, Tutti Diversi [Everyone’s Equal, Everyone’s Different] working group. Along with awareness-raising through debates and dialogues,  results include a “Welcome Protocol” for immigrant students in 8 languages and launching the “Words hit like a fist” campaign, which involved researching, mapping and analyzing hurtful language used by students to determine its impact –  a “reminder card” was created for  distribution. Moderated four events which presented the initiatives of the working group made up of teachers from various Susa Valley school districts. (Tutti ugual, tutti diversi, Susa Valley, Italy, 2009-2014).
  • Organized and facilitated a cultural exchange between local CSO activists and the “Vik Gaza to Italy” convoy of 8 musicians and dancers from Gaza (Rap Mukhayamat & Sanabel traditional dabka dance troupe). The exchange included tours of local protest sites, dialogues among activists and a performance. (Susa Valley, Italy, 2013)
  • Project Coordinator and Institutional Liaison of a grassroots-based initiative led by the Friends of Honduras, an NGO made up predominantly of Honduran-Canadians, which included; building 20 homes in Tocoa, Honduras (completed May 2001); promoting health and environmental education initiatives; fundraising; public relations and education programmes. A pilot approach, it involved continual collaboration of local institutions and project recipients.  (New Horizons Project, Friends of Honduras, Tocoa, Honduras, 1999-2001).
  • Co-authored Requests for Proposals for Long-Term Care Beds in the Province of Ontario for various culturally-focused eldercare centres (Italian, Polish, Greek, Jewish and Chinese communities). (WACI Inc. and H.E.A.L.T.H. Inc., Toronto and Niagara Region, 1998-2000).
  • Administrative Officer of Community Relations which involved being a liaison between community stakeholders (municipalities, businesses, citizens groups) and the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Tourism in the development of a Tourism Master Plan for the Niagara Region as part of the Niagara Gateway Project. (MEDTT, Government of Ontario, 1995-1996).
Ariemma (right) at the inauguration of the New Horizons Project (2001, Tocoa, Honduras)

CONFERENCE PLANNING

More than 20 years of experience in conference planning in Canada and Italy with focuses including the environment, citizenship and intercultural dialogue.

  • Organized and carried out the on-site logistics for three youth winners (Egypt, Morocco & Spain), for the “Floating Voices” Creative Arts Contest awards ceremony. (Progetto Mediterranea and Maydan Association, Genoa, Italy, 2019).
  • Organized planning, logistics and realization of a day-long conference entitled: “Bringing Europe into the Mediterranean: A Challenge for the European elections”. Participants included academics, members of social movements, youth migrants, multi-ethnic theatre actors and European parliamentary candidates (Maydan Association and Department of Cultures, Politics & Society, University of Turin, 2019).
  • Organized the logistics and led a three-day mission for the Coordinator of the Palestinian Popular Committees for Non-violent resistance with an ex-European Parliamentarian and Co-founder of AssoPace Palestina, in Susa Valley and Turin with the collaboration of: local youth, social movements, Sereno Regis organization for non-violent resistance, Cities of Turin and Collegno and Committee of Municipalities for Peace in the Province of Turin (2013).
  • Collaborated in the logistics (travel and on-site) and realization (including conflict management role) of international conferences for the Ministry of the Environment for the Ministerial Forum on the Kyoto Mechanisms in Ottawa, Canada and a tri-national (Canada-US-Mexico) environmental conference in Banff, Canada (2000).
  • Organized logistics of bi-national US-Canada events and the launch of a tourism Master Plan for the Niagara Region including realization of an investment ‘Familiarization’ tour in the region with Toronto-area CEO’s. (Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Tourism, 1996-7).