"A Vegan is one who strives to exclude all forms of exploitation and cruelty to animals in one's diet and lifestyle. This includes avoiding products derived from animals and tested on animals."
Vegan World Network © is a non-profit group formed in 1997, to provide a global vegan network for Vegan Groups, Country Coordinators, Country Contacts, Individual Members and Vegan Businesses. Vegan World Network is continuing the global role initiated by the former Vegans International ©, created by Vegan groups in 1992.
A major purpose is to provide a focus for global vegan activities and resources. Vegan World Network promotes Country Vegan Festivals, International Vegan Festivals, major events and regular activities, to assist in the unity and viability of Vegan groups and to hasten the creation of a gentle and compassionate planet. Participating Vegan groups are encouraged to be involved in these events.
Rather than have, say, one "International or World Vegan Society", the Network has many independent Vegan groups in many countries. This "flat" structure allows for great strength, which is found in the talents of our many leaders and the diversity of activity, which is relevant to their own county or region.
The nature and structure of Vegan Societies is to serve their local members who have a direct say in the management of the society and its local activities. To be effective, their sphere of influence is essentially local. The philosophy of, "Think Globally, Act Locally", if done on a global scale, appears to be the most effective way to create global change. Evidence of this is the increasing number of local vegan societies and groups with a focus on serving their local city, town or community and addressing local issues. A good example of this is England. In 1944, the first Vegan Society was formed. Now there are at least ten Vegan societies and groups in England acting independently to serve their local communities. Meetup groups are another example of locally focused groups.
So the Network serves to give our movement an overview, a common direction and purpose, while accommodating and supporting the independence of the many Vegan groups within the Vegan Movement. Its stability lies in the broad strength of leadership being able to support and nurture the weakest of our movement's members.
Participating countries are listed in the World Vegan Directory. For detailed information on a Country, please contact the relevant Country Coordinator listed in the Directory.
An ideal way to advance the prospect of a Vegan world is to support Vegan enterprises financially. Vegan businesses are listed on the World Vegan Business Directory. Listing is FREE!
Vegan World Network is a non-profit, non-political, non-religious network and is not funded by any government or political group. Funding through sponsorship and advertising on this site is accepted only from businesses or groups whose philosophy and objectives are consistent with the Vegan Philosophy. The Coordinator manages the day-to-day business of the network.
Vegan World Network promotes vegan societies, groups, restaurants and events whose philosophy and objectives are consistent with the Vegan philosophy.
If you would like your Country or Vegan Group to participate, please contact us. Vegan World Network is dedicated to promoting all Vegan groups, FREE!
The term "Vegan" was coined by the founder of the Vegan movement, Donald Watson, in 1944 and was defined as follows:
"Veganism is a way of living which excludes all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, the animal kingdom, and includes a reverence for life. It applies to the practice of living on the products of the plant kingdom to the exclusion of flesh, fish, fowl, eggs, honey, animal milk and its derivatives, and encourages the use of alternatives for all commodities derived wholly or in part from animals".
So Vegans also strive to avoid using products tested on animals. This definition represents the philosophy and standards of Vegan World Network.
Our directories list only groups and businesses that promote themselves as being "Vegan". Why?
There was a very good reason why Donald Watson created the word "Vegan", and that was to clearly differentiate between being "vegan" and being "vegetarian". Those of us who call ourselves Vegan also do so deliberately. We do not wish to be known as "vegetarian".
An article in USA Today (Jan. 27 2008) stated, "Vegans are a subclass of vegetarians". Similar statements are found in "vegetarian" articles. For example, an article in the New York Times (Feb. 13 2008) describes vegans, "vegetarians, and their Hezbollah-like splinter faction, the vegans". Vegan World Network strives to dispel these myths.
So why do some "vegan" groups use "vegetarian" in the name of the group, i.e. the "Vegetarian/Vegan Society" or the "Vegan and Vegetarian Meetup Group"?
Leaders of Vegan groups can tell you that vegetarians and omnivores can feel welcome and do attend Vegan groups' meetings, providing the leaders and members of the group make them welcome. The best way to help vegetarians to become vegan is to promote "vegan", not by trying to proclaim that we are both "vegetarian" and "vegan". How can we be "vegan" and "vegetarian" at the same time? Honestly, we can't!
Would we be happy if "World Vegan Day" was changed to "World Vegan and Vegetarian Day"?
So we encourage all Vegan groups and businesses to strive to avoid the use of the word "vegetarian" in their names and websites.
When asked why we won't list "vegetarian" groups or businesses, we simply state that we are a "vegan" network, not a vegetarian network.
We do well to remember that being "vegetarian" is only half way to the truth. We believe that we can best assist vegetarians and omnivores to become Vegan by proudly and steadfastly proclaiming that we are "Vegan"!
Our experience has shown that many vegetarians are aspiring to become Vegan and seek out vegan groups, vegan restaurants, vegan foods and goods.
While the Network's objective is to promote Vegan, we may publish vegetarian links, surveys or publications, where they are part of a vegan article or considered an essential part of the promotion of a vegan event, such as an International Vegan Festival.
Businesses are considered Vegan if:
Country Coordinators play very important key roles in achieving international activity within the Vegan movement.
A Country Coordinator may liaise with Vegan Societies and Groups on Vegan activities and resources within their Country.
A Country Coordinator may:
The above list of activities is voluntary and allows for a vast spectrum of activities, depending on the Country Coordinator's personal resources.
The Country Coordinator does not have to be a member of a Vegan society in their Country. Having an objective overview of the needs of the Country and being independent and impartial may even be easier if the Country Coordinator is not a member of a Vegan group.
Vegan World Network's only source of income is through donations.
Please donate today, to hasten the creation of a gentle world. > > >
