Carlo Petrini, also known as "Carlìn," was born on June 22, 1949. He is an Italian activist, author, and the founder of the International Slow Food Movement and the Terra Madre festivals.

Early life and activist career

Petrini was born in the commune of Bra, province of Cuneo, Italy. He was a political activist in the communist Proletarian Unity Party (Partito di Unità Proletaria; PdUP). In 1977, he started writing articles about food for the communist daily newspapers il manifesto and l'Unità.

Petrini studied sociology at the University of Trento, where he became involved in local politics. He began writing about food and wine for major Italian newspapers in 1977.

In recent years, Petrini has continued his work to support causes. In 2024, he was a guest at the Italian Cultural Society's gala in Washington, D.C. At the Cheese 2025 event, he spoke about possible rules that could affect how raw milk cheese is made in Italy.

Slow food movement

He became well-known in the 1980s for helping to stop McDonald's from opening near the Spanish Steps in Rome. In 1983, he helped start and grow the Italian non-profit food and wine group called Arcigola. He founded Slow Food in 1989 and became its leader. He works as an editor for several publications at the publishing company Slow Food Editore. He writes weekly articles for La Stampa and currently writes for La Repubblica. In October 2004, he created the University of Gastronomic Sciences, a school focused on teaching people who study food and those who work to improve sustainable food systems. He is now a supporter and member of the Italian Democratic Party, a center-left political group. Petrini has also been suggested for political jobs, including positions in the government.

Awards

Carlo Petrini has received many awards and honors. These include Communicator of the Year at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in London, the Sicco Mansholt Prize in the Netherlands, an honorary degree in cultural anthropology from the University of New Hampshire, and the Eckart Witzigmann Science and Media Prize from Germany. In 2004, he was named one of Time magazine's heroes of the year. In 2013, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award (Champions of the Earth).