Kuni Manifesto: The Time for Kuni Is Now

<p>Produced by KSQD90.7FM</p> <p><strong>“Be Bold America!” Sunday, February 12, 2023 </strong>at <strong>5:00pm (PST)</strong></p> <p><em>Kuni can be created anywhere through the determination of one person. ~ Tsuyoshi Sekihara</em></p> <p><strong>As we despair about shrinking rural areas </strong>and are intimidated by cities <strong>growing to a monstrous scale</strong>, where are we supposed to go? We are <strong>dazzled by image</strong>, enslaved by fads, and compelled to buy, buy, buy.</p> <p><strong>Can we stop buying and start making? Stop viewing and start finding? Stop speaking and start listening? When did these things become so difficult?</strong></p> <p>Kuni offers a <strong>unique model for the revitalization</strong> of rural and de-industrialized lands and communities—and shares lessons in citizen-led regeneration for all of us, regardless of where we live.</p> <p><strong>Interview Guest:</strong></p> <p><strong>Richard McCarthy</strong> is the coauthor, with Tsuyoshi Sekihara, of <em>Kuni: A Japanese Vision and Practice for Urban-Rural Reconnection </em>and is the <strong>Founder and former Executive Director of Market Umbrella in New Orleans</strong>, and the former Executive Director of Slow Food USA. After studying<strong>political science at the London</strong> School of Economics, he returned to put ideas into action. In all his work, <strong>two important themes prevail</strong>: To <strong>facilitate trusting relations</strong> between urban and rural communities, and to <strong>instigate lasting social change </strong>by creating opportunities for behavior change to come first. Ideas follow.</p> <p>Richard’s work became <strong>increasingly global</strong> through partnerships with the UN World Summit on Sustainable Development, Project for Public Spaces, and Slow Food. <strong>Today, he works with Meatless Monday, Slow Food International, FAO, the World Farmers Markets Coalition</strong>, and others to cultivate community through food. He addresses audiences all over the planet, has pub