Agenda

Giacomo Mazzone has 30 years’ experience in the information, sport and international relations sectors, trained as a journalist, with a great deal of experience in international companies and organizations (RAI, Euronews, Eurosport, and latest EBU). He also has worked for all traditional media (press, radio, general interest TV) but also new media (all-news channels, Internet portals). Expert in European and international negotiations. in 2021 has been Global project manager at UNDRR, following the development of the project UNDRR-WBU to train media professionals to DRR Disaster Risk Reduction in the countries affected by Climate Changes.

Natalia Ilieva is head of strategy development, members and external relations at the ABU since 2010. She is leading the ABU’s outreach campaigns Broadcasting for All: Diversity and Inclusion in the Media and Saving Lives: Building Resilient Communities, a media literacy campaign for climate change adaptation and disaster prevention. Her journalistic experience spans over two decades across print and electronic media working for public service and commercial organisations including ten years with the BBC. Natalia has worked for Thomson Foundation in transition management of media across Eastern Europe and former Soviet Union (Armenia, Georgia, Russia and Ukraine) and for Commonwealth Broadcasting Association before joining the Asia – Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development and later ABU. Natalia has a BS in Economics from Sofia University, Bulgaria and an MBA from the University of Ottawa, Canada and the University of Kent, UK.

Ms. Vanessa Gray is the Head of the Division for Environment and Emergency Telecommunications within the ITU's Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT). Ms Gray coordinates the Telecommunication Development Bureau's work in the area of Emergency Telecommunications, to develop ICT projects and provide assistance for disaster preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery. This includes the development of national emergency telecommunication plans, the deployment of emergency telecommunication equipment to countries hit by disasters, and regional and national capacity building exercises for disaster management. She is also responsible for the organization of the Global Forum on Emergency Telecommunication (GET) and specific ICT for disaster management tools and publications, for example in the area of disruptive technologies, gender, and ICT drills. 

In the area of the environment, Ms Gray coordinates the BDT's work on developing e-waste policies and monitoring the amount of electronic waste, in particular through the publication of the Global and Regional E-waste Monitors. Her role is to build public-private partnerships, develop projects and strengthen the role of the BDT in terms of e-waste coordination, for example with the E-waste Coalition, the Global E-waste Statistics Partnership, and with the private sector. 

Mr. Antonio Arcidiacono, Director of Technology & Innovation at The European Broadcasting Union (EBU)
Antonio is Director of Technology & Innovation at the European Broadcasting Union. He has extensive experience in conceiving, developing and taking new products and services to market. Since joining the EBU in September 2018, Antonio has launched several initiatives designed to leverage the collective expertise and momentum of the EBU Membership for technology innovation, deliver key building blocks for the digital transformation of public service media, and strengthen collaboration between PSM, European policy initiatives, start-ups and academic institutions.

Two of Antonio’s most recent initiatives are the 5G Media Action Group (5G-MAG) and EuroVOX. 5G-MAG currently counts 40 members from the industry and aims to ensure future 5G standards are fit for purpose in media production and distribution. EuroVOX is a collaborative project of the EBU and several of its Members that aims to break down language boundaries for users and content. It consists of an open framework upon which services can be built, and a set of tools for media creators, such as speech-to-speech translation.

Antonio previously worked as Director of Innovation and a Member of the Management Committee at Eutelsat; the European Space Agency; Telespazio, and Selenia Spazio.

Ron Salaj serves currently as co-ordinator of the Master programme "ICT for Development and Social Good" delivered by the University of Turin and ImpactSkills. He will present his experience as co-lead of a citizen science project in Kosovo called "Science for Change Movement", responsible for coordinating the work between different youth-led committees, partners and stakeholders from Kosovo’s civil society organization, media outlets, and institutions. A bottom up initiative between scientists, youth and citizens to investigate, collect and produce data on air pollution which were not available to the large public. As a result of this grass-root activism, finally authorities intervened to tackle the issue: a successful example of reducing air pollution risks through raising citizen awareness.

Mr Samuel Muchemi is a Scientific Officer in the Disaster Risk Reduction and Public Services Branch (SO/DPS-PS) of the World meteorological Organization (WMO). His responsibility is in the Public Services area of the Branch, which among other things, coordinates activities aimed at assisting WMO Member countries to advance their programmes of collaborating with the mass media. He also coordinates activities in the areas of the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) standard for dissemination of alerts, the Impact-based Forecast and warning Services (IBFWS), as well as in the area of advancement of multiple channels of dissemination of forecasts by Members.