University education and titles
- PhD in Migration Studies, Sussex University, UK, School of Global Studies / Sussex Centre for Migration Reseach. Conferred July 2002. Supervisors: Prof. R. King, Dr. R. Black. PhD thesis: ‘Representation of diversity and cultural participation: performances of multiculturalism in Bologna and Barcelona’. Grant awarded: ESRC Scholarship (1998-2001)
- Master of Arts in International Relations and Development Studies, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK, School of International Development. Conferred July 1997. Supervisor: Dr. J. Cameron. MA thesis: Identity, Displacement and Conflicts in a Global World
- Certificate in Communication Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA (awared July 1994). Postgraduate studies in Communication, Film Industry, Cultural Studies. EAP Fellowship, California, USA
- Laurea in Economics and Business Administration, Bologna University, Italy (awarded July 1993)
Academic Research and Lectures
Adjunt Lecturer at various Universities:
University of Bologna – History and Culture (2018), Faculty of Education Sciences, Rimini (2014), Cinema Studies, DMS (2009,11), Master in Human Rights and Development, Ravenna (2011-13); Free University of Bozen, Communication Studies (2008-2011); University of Denver, Colorado US, Centre for Civic Engagement Bologna, Italy (2003-09); European International University Centre, Master Human Rights, Venezia, Italia (2004-06); Sussex University (School of Global Studies (2017/18) European Studies Centre, Sussex Centre for Migration Research (1999-00)
Title Courses: Representations of Human Rights, Development, Migration and Cultural Diversity; Visual Representations of Wars, Conflicts, Refugees and Migrants; Media and Human Rights; Media and Development; Migrants, Minorities and Indigenous People through the Camera; Cultural Activism; World Cinema; Cinema and Migration; Human Rights representations and practice through films and festivals; Anthropology and Cinema; Visual Anthropology, Theories of Migration.
Visiting Fellowships / Awards
Research Associate as Visiting Resarch Scholar, School of Global Studies, Sussex University (2016-18), SOAS University, London, UK (2011-13); Visiting Professor Marisco Fellowship, Denver University, Colorado, USA (2006); Post-doctoral Fellowship in Cultural Anthropology, University of Bologna, Italy (2004-05); Certificate of Appreciations, University of California, Bologna Center, Italy (2005 & 2004); Visiting Research Socrates Fellowship in Social Anthropology, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain (1999); Visiting Research Scholarship – EAP in Communication Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA (1993-95)
Professional Experience: Human Rights, Development and Social Campaigns
- Festival Director, Human Rights Nights, Bologna, Italy (2001-now) - international festival of cinema, art and music on human rights - www.humanrightsnights.org; Founding Member of Human Rights Film Network (2003-now) - www.humanrightsfilmnetwork.org
- Director, Green World Food Market, Bologna, Italy (2014, ongoing) - Creation and management of a Summer Street food market of gourmet world cuisine in Bologna - to promote cultural dialogue, community, identity and empowerment in a plural society. www.facebook.com/mercatinoverdedelmondo
- Senior Campaign Manager (2011-13) - Bologna, Italy, Bologna Municipality - AMITIE EU project transnational campaign on human rights, migration and development in Italy, Spain, Romania, Latvia, Brasil. www.comune.bologna.it/amitie/
- Coordinator NoiNo.org - Men against Women Violence, Fondazione del Monte (2011-13) Bologna, Italy Global Campaign Manager, Oxfam GB (August 2010 – March 2011) - Oxford, United Kingdom – Campaign Manager for global campaign Equals, started by Annie Lennox 100° International Women's Day.
- Consultancy, Capacity Building and Tutoring for International Human Rights Film Festivals (2005-now) - Africa at the Pictures, London, UK (2005-08), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (2007), Pravo Ljudski, Sarajevo (2006), Soweto Arts Festival, South Africa (2007), El Septimo Ojo, Bolivia (2008), AfricanBamba Human Rights Festival, Senegal (2012-14)
- Outreach European Director - Channel 4 Britdoc Foundation (May – October 2011) - London, United Kingdom - networking and promotion European partners, films for social change - www.goodpitch.org
- Film Advisor for Venice Film Festival, responsible for film selections in Africa and the Arab World, La Biennale, Venice, Italy (2004-06) - www.labiennale.org/en/cinema
- Film curator / Project Manager, Fondazione Cineteca Bologna, Italy (2000-09) Consultant, Curator for diversity and world cinema projects, archive research – www.cinetecadibologna.it
- Production Consultant for Film and Creative projects: AfricanBamba (Senegal, 2008-ongoing); Ateliers Julieta Manassas (Bologna, Luanda, 2013-ongoing); Clam - African Fashion magazine, creative agency (Lagos, Nigeria, Paris, NY 2005-09); Ouarzazate Film (Ouarzazate, Morocco 2004-09)
Conferences organised on Human Rights, Development, Diversity: New Poverty: human rights, life dignity, duties and responsibility, rights to culture and citizenship, Bologna, 2014; A Wonderful idea! Awareness and Social Change: the best communication campaigns on migration, development and human rights. Bologna, 2013; The Body and Human Rights: a conversation on bioethics, diversity, health and violence. Bologna, 2012; Ingrid Betancourt, Welcoming Gala after her liberation by FARC Columbia, Bologna, 2009; Wislawa Szyimborska, Nobel Prize for Literature, Bologna, 2009; Roles of Festivals for Community building and peace - Rwanda, Bolivia and South Africa, Bologna, 2008; Arab Mediterranean Film Archives, Cineteca di Bologna / Euromed Audiovisual II, Bologna, 2007; Dario Fo, Nobel Prize for Literatures, Bologna, 2007; Pino Solanas, Master Lecture in Cinema, Bologna, 2008; Migration and Diversity, Bologna, 2007; Luis Sepulveda, Nobel Prize for Literatures, Bologna, 2006; Terrorism of War and Structures of Peace, Bologna, 2006; Anthropology and Cinema, Sussex University, UK, 2005; Journalism and Human Rights, Communication Deparment, University of Bologna, 2005; African Cinema: Dinamics of Production, Cineteca Bologna, Italy, 2003; Migrant Cinema = Accented Cinema – Production and Representation, Sussex University, UK, 2000
Contributions as speaker at international conference: El Septimo Ojo, Facultad de Sciencias de Communicacion, Universidad de Sucre, Bolivia, June 2008 / Paper: Human Rights Festivals and Networks as sites for cultural resistance and community building; Addis Ababa Int. Film Festival, Film Directing and Production Workshop, Addis Abeba, Ethiopia, January 2007 / Paper: Human Rights Films and Festivals as a Post-colonial Transnational Communication Strategy; ASN Conference on Globalization, Nationalism and Ethnic Conflicts in The Balkans, Belgrade, Serbia, September 2006 / Paper: Human Rights Films in a Post-Conflict Resolution Context; Frontiers of Visual Anthropology, Oxford University, UK, September 2005 / Paper: Visual Representations of Human Rights, Displacement and Resistance in Apartheid South Africa: Come Back Africa by Lionel Rogosin; Anthropology and Cinema, Sussex University, UK - May 2005 Paper: Post-conflict Dialogue and Human Rights Films; Utrecht Summer School Human Rights Bologna, Italy, July 2005, Paper: Indigenous People, Human Rights and Representations - July 2004 Paper: Stereotypes and Prejudice in Advertising in Italy
