Influencing change in food and climate – where is the young voice? (Panel)
James Gomez Thompson is the founder of The Great Oven, an organisation that puts giant, beautifully decorated ovens in refugee camps, cities in crisis and post-conflict zones. Providing sustainable food relief and creative community building by leveraging the power of cooking and art as means of promoting community cohesion and resilience. The Great Oven’s work is shaped by the first-hand experiences of a diverse team which includes ex-child fighters, stateless youth, refugee families and trafficked women. Operating currently in 6 sites across Lebanon and expanding to the Colombian/Venezuelan border this year.
James is the long-standing creative partner of Nigel Slater OBE, in all things book, Guardian/Observer columns and Television for over a decade. Co-founder of Sloe Films and creator of Nigel Slater’s Middle East and Eating Together for the BBC. A documentary about The Great Oven is currently in production and being directed by 5-time Emmy winner and twice Oscar-nominated director Lucy Walker.