Sitting at a shared table (or in a barn) to share cheese holds the potential to be far more than a meal – it can be an act of listening, understanding, and radical solidarity. But let’s be clear: this is no rose-tinted pastoral ideal. In times of armed conflict, political oppression, corporate consolidation, and systemic neglect, keeping traditional dairy farming alive is a daily act of resistance.

Cheese for Peace marks the launch of a global initiative built on hard realities, radical collaboration, and mutual support. We look beyond the romanticized facade to address the raw, systemic challenges facing milk-producing communities worldwide, exploring how artisanal cheesemaking can serve as a tool for resilience, economic self-determination, and peacebuilding across borders.

Four international voices, visionaries, and cheesemakers share perspectives and stories from their home regions:

• Mary Quicke (UK): 14th-generation farmer, veteran cheesemaker, and tireless bridge-builder. From founding the Affineur of the Year Awards to driving Cheese for Peace, Mary’s life work centers on community, stance, and systemic change.

• Mike Thomson (UK): The Northern Irish maker behind Young Buck raw milk blue cheese & cheese shop Mike's Fancy Cheese. Working in a historically and politically complex region, Mike demonstrates how food craftsmanship acts as a force for community building, defiance, and new pathfinding.

• Martín Rosberg (UY): Natural-cheese pioneer from Uruguay fighting for the survival and visibility of South American farmstead dairies. He champions local traditions against corporate dominance, demonstrating why small-scale agriculture is a vital line of defense in turbulent times.

• Gamze Ineceli (TUR): Istanbul-based food cultural historian, and activist. She researches the endangered ancient cheese traditions of Anatolia, directly connecting culinary heritage with the urgent socio-political struggles of our era.