Lia Beltrami

Dr. Lia Beltrami was born in 1967 in Trento, a historical city in the Italian Alps. There she obtained a Scientific high school diploma and proceeded to attend University of Trento. She graduated in Modern Languages with the title of Doctor in 1991. Following that, she studied film making at the New York Film Academy in New York It was at that time where she was called to work, promote and develop projects for public health and women's empowerment in various countries in Africa, such as Ethiopia, Mozambique, Ghana, Zimbabwe and Uganda. In 1997, she founded Religion Today, a film festival, the first in the world, dedicated to inter-religious dialogue. It was born with the aim of creating a meeting place of universal value for film makers of different religions to reflect of the themes of peace, the environment, coexistence and harmony. The festival has featured over 18,000 films and documentaries and supported more than 2,200 artists and directors around the world. From 2008 until 2015, she was Councillor for Solidarity and Coexistence in the Trentino region. Her mandate was issued on the areas of Immigration, Women's Rights and Equal Opportunities. She led and managed over 125 projects in the area of International Cooperation. During that time, she launched Women of Faith for Peace, which began as a group of eight women, all leaders in their communities, from different faiths and ethnicities in the Middle East. The group aims to inspire and encourage women around the world to engage in the peace process. Women of Faith for Peace has now expanded and includes a much larger group of women. In 2017, Lia received the coveted Golden Lion for Peace award in Venice because of her work and dedication to the cause. She is the International Representative of the group for FAO-UN. In 2014, she launched Aurora Vision, a media company that has produced 27 documentaries and reportage. Some of her most recognized documentaries are: Alganesh, on Eritrean refugee camps; Wonderful Tapestry of Life, on the inspiring life of Hon. Anita Evelyn Stokes Heyford; Viva Kino! about Father Kino and the current issue of the border US\Mexico; Ukon the Samurai, about the life of a samurai declared Blessed; Heroes Without Capes, about the health system in Uganda; Teardrop in the Ocean, about children endangerment cases in Sri Lanka. More recently, Lia has expanded her role as artistic director for a global photo exhibition entitled, Emotions to Generate Change. The exhibit showcases the journey from the symbolic power of origins to anthropomorphic representation involving the beauty of creation featuring the pure joy of protagonists from around the world. It has been displayed on main stages around the world including St. Peter's Square in Vatican City and the 2022 World Economic Forum. Throughout her career, she has written several columns and six books. She is married to musician and composer Alberto Beltrami and have two wonderful daughters together.