Shaping a Plant-Rich Future: Communication Strategies for Shifting Public Sentiment

1. Shared Identification of Narrative Opportunities, Challenges, and Relevant Research

Objective: Identify the most promising narrative frames, messaging strategies, and audience insights to shift public sentiment toward plant-rich diets and alternative proteins—while surfacing key barriers and areas where further research or coordination is needed.

Tangible deliverable: A summary of promising research-backed messaging and audience targeting insights, including research gaps, opportunity areas, and lessons learned.

Enables:

• A clearer sense of what’s working—and what’s missing or hasn’t worked
• Strategic alignment across key messages, campaigns, and research efforts
  A shared vision for more resonant and impactful communications that can be amplified by multiple organizations 

2. A Shared Map of the Communications Landscape

Objective: Build a clearer picture of the communications ecosystem by mapping key organizations and individuals working to understand and shape public sentiment on plant-rich diets—helping identify areas of alignment, opportunity, and potential collaboration.

Tangible deliverable: A refined, collaboratively informed map of actors and activities, designed to guide future coordination, reduce duplication of effort, and amplify impact.

Enables:

• Stronger collective awareness of who’s doing what and how to work together
• A foundation for better collaboration

3. Pathways for Collaboration and Action

Objective: Translate strategic alignment and ecosystem mapping into practical, forward-looking next steps. Identify potential partners, shared areas of focus, and focus topics for ongoing collaboration.

Tangible deliverable: A set of near-term collaboration opportunities, proposed frameworks for joint efforts, and a draft roadmap to guide continued coordination post-event.

Enables:

• Ongoing structures for shared learning, rapid response, and collective impact

• Clarity on where momentum already exists—and how to build on it

• Connection between the right people, roles, and ideas

This 1-day experience is not your typical gathering. It is a chance for a group of us to gather—a group who all share a stake in shifting toward a plant-rich future of food—to learn from and get inspired by each other, build new connections, and understand our collective work as greater than the sum of its parts. 

The sessions will be highly interactive with a focus on peer-learning, peer-sharing, collaboration, and relationship-building. We can’t wait for you to bring your positive energy and collaborative instincts.

All discussions will be conducted under the Chatham House rule, ensuring that participants can speak freely. Participants will be free to use the learnings from the event without attribution to any individual or organization. The viewpoints expressed in post event materials will not necessarily be those of the cohosts but rather will be intended to reflect what we heard from a variety of participants. Statements made by participants will not be substantiated by externally-validated sources.

Recommended airport: Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) – Approx. 6 miles (20–30 min drive)

Alternative airport: Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) – Approx. 27 miles (35–50 min drive). Note that rush hour traffic is worse to and from IAD. 

Ground transportation from airport: We recommend taking a taxi, rideshare, or shuttle from the airport. 

Public transportation from airport

• DCA: The blue line connects DCA to Rosslyn, approximately 1 mile from Georgetown. 

• IAD: The silver line connects IAD to Rosslyn, approximately 1 mile from Georgetown.

Halcyon House does not offer on-site parking. However, the following options are available nearby:

• Street parking: Limited metered parking is available on Prospect St NW and surrounding residential roads. Time restrictions and enforcement are strict—please check signage carefully.

• Garage parking
  • 3251 Prospect Street NW (~5 min walk)
  • Georgetown Park Garage – 1080 Wisconsin Ave NW (~7-minute walk)
  • SP+ Garage – 3211 M St NW (~6-minute walk)

Do not use parking at Colonial Parking Garage – 3307 M St NW if you are attending the evening reception as they close at 6pm. We recommend using a ride-sharing service or public transit where possible due to limited parking availability in Georgetown.