World GO VEGAN Week
Mission
Statement
IDA's World GO VEGAN Week
exists to educate people about the vegan lifestyle, a compassionate way of
eating and living. Veganism is a healthy choice that shows love and respect for
animals, the environment and you. Promoting veganism through outreach events
and the media, we know that our annual World GO VEGAN Week is helping make the
word "vegan" a household term, universally recognized as meaning love
and compassion for all living beings.
"World GO VEGAN Week" is also about celebrating what it means to be vegan. Veganism
enables people to live in balance with all of Earth's creatures and promote
freedom from exploitation for animals as part of their everyday lives. Modern
animal agriculture is cruel and violent toward the chickens, cows, pigs and
other creatures used to make meat, milk and eggs. During World GO VEGAN Week,
we encourage people to become conscious of what - and who - they are eating,
the effect it has on the world, and that a non-violent alternative exists.
We urge people to recognize
the effects their actions have on the world, and our ability to actually avert
some impending disasters such as global warming.
For the health of people,
the environment, and farmed animals, veganism is the best choice. World GO VEGAN Week embodies this idea. As an international campaign, it encourages people around the world to experience the benefits and joys
of a more compassionate way of life.
Here are some ways you can
celebrate World GO VEGAN Week:
- Order Vegan Starter Kits to distribute.
- Display information in public areas, such as hanging copies of our free vegan start kit on your office door. Display them at health food stores, restaurants, libraries. Also, posters and display prints can be downloaded – perfect for campus bulletin boards.
- Share a delicious vegan meal with family and
friends by hosting a vegan potluck dinner or restaurant outing. Be sure to
invite people who aren't vegan! Get easy vegan recipes from Compassion over Killing.
- Send a friend or family member who lives far away a gift certificate to a restaurant in their own town. Visit www.happycow.net for reviews of vegetarian restaurants around the country.
- Since Thanksgiving is coming up in a few weeks, talk to your community food banks about providing vegan options such as Tofurkeys. Consider buying a few Tofurkeys, preparing them, and bringing them to your food bank or other similar gatherings.
- Enter cooking competitions using vegan recipes. Label them "vegan" so people know that your delicious dishes don't contain any animal ingredients. Attend cooking competitions and support the vegan entries.
- Teachers: talk with your class about veganism and the importance of respect for animals.
- Students: write a paper on veganism, hand out vegan literature at a college campus or help get vegan meals into your school's cafeteria. Visit www.idausa.org/campaigns/choice to learn how. Start or join a vegan club in your school and plan an event with your friends that will educate people about the benefits of a vegan diet.
- Make a batch of vegan cookies, and give them out at your school (or at a tabling event) along with the recipe.
- Ask your local newspaper to feature a story about the benefits of a vegan diet or the cruelties of factory farming. Write a letter to the editor on the subject. Write articles or letters to publications, including newsletters of local organizations (your local chapter of the Audubon Society, the Nature Conservancy, Food not Bombs, etc.). Tell a story tailored to the audience that gives the readers a way of identifying with you.
- Find out if Habitat for Humanity or a similar group is building a home near you, and bring them some vegan snacks or sandwiches.
- If you are religious, or participate in religious services or gatherings, look for opportunities to incorporate the vegan message into the discussions. If you participate in study groups, suggest discussion of the vegan message.
- Order t-shirts, bumper stickers, posters, pins and other fun stuff and hand them out to friends and family.
- Host a screening of " Peaceable
Kingdom
,"
an eye opening farmed animal documentary, at your local library or another venue. Invite a guest speaker to talk about farmed animal welfare issues. Visit www.TribeofHeart.org for information on obtaining the documentary.
- Share the ideals of veganism with your community of friends and colleagues by adding this quote to your email signature:
"Veganism gives us all the opportunity to say what we 'stand for' in life-- the ideal of healthy, humane living. Add decades of health to your life, with a clear conscience as a bonus."
-Donald Watson
- Join or start a vegan dinner club and/or animal rights group. Many people will be significantly helped by some support structure – shopping references, dining guides, potlucks. Your group can write guest columns, seek out speaking engagements in schools and clubs, give cooking classes, work with local schools and restaurants to increase vegan options, show documentaries.
- Adopt an activist.
- Add a link to IDA's World GO VEGAN Week Web site from your web site.
- Create a plan to promote veganism all year.
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