After the inspiring occasion of the 6th IVF in Bedfordshire in 1992, there was much to be hopeful for in the run up to this year's event. Francisco Martin, the tireless (raw food!) veteran of our movement took on organizing the venue, accomodation, presentations (lecture/workshops) catering and socialising of this incredibly important part of the vegan calendar.
Many familiar faces were to be seen as were new faces and some unfortunately conspiscious by their absence. The truly international element to the festival was clearer this year with Spanish and English as official languages and professional translations (via headsets) laid on in the cinema lecture hall.
The town of Tossa has declared its opposition to bull-fighting though the legal complexity of the situation is borne out by the omnipresent Bullfight poster ads for the neighbouring towns. There were in fact some 'disagreements' about some of this violent promotion between festival goers and 'traditional' blood sport supporters, but fortunately the overall impression given by vegans to locals was probably positive on balance.
As to be expected, we were exposed to increased awareness of the cruelties that surround us. The opening video on Spanish fiestas left many devestated and crying - there is room for debate on how much sufferring we must force ourselves to swallow reasonably.
The first days lectures were on the theme, "The Roots and Challenge of Animal Exploitation." and included various presentations from spanish participants giving their particular cultural perspective. A suggestion by an English lecturer that we forget vegan organisations and work solely within the vegetarian movement was not welcomed.
The full timetable continued on the second day with consideration of "Veganism, Agriculture, Factory Farming and the Environment", including presentations by Dr. Alan Long, and Louis Wallis. Several of the Spanish and other time-tabled speakers failed to turn up which gave opportunity for Francisco to bring some of the lectures back on schedule. There was certainly no lack of things to learn.
Day 3 was on "Vegan Ecology, and the Present and Future of Human Health and Nutrition" with fascinating contributions from Julia Jacquel (Including a video of Michael Klaper's work), Eric Karlsson, on Nature Cure and Francisco Martin on the benefits of the raw food life style. There followed international progress reports on veganism from participants of all the different countries represented.
By this time everyone was overflowing with information, ideas and possibilites that led favourably to workshop participation on Day 4. This included discussions on Christianity, womens experiences, on how to produce a vegan book (a very inspirational introduction to this by Alex Bourke), and public presentations and relations, Nature Cure among other subjects. This concluded the main part of the programme.
A significant number of participants went on excursion to Figueres and Dali Museum the following day and on the last day, there was a protest demonstration march in Barcelona to raise the profile of the abuse of animals to the Spanish public.
In all, the week was extremely busy with much work, play (evening sing-songs on the beach, Sean McElherron on the guitar and Sunflower Robin, our vegan chef, on harmonica) and thoughts for the future. The energetic Julia Jacquel was busy organising the American vegans for the proposed 1995 International Vegan Festival in the US before anyone had recovered from the intensity of this one.
I hope many of us will be able to support that truly international event, held for the first time outside of Europe, as we work and study for a more compassionate world for all creatures everywhere.
The more we can come together to exchange opinions on a broad spectrum at events like this, the stronger we will be in our ability to cooperate for the future.
Antony Coles. - MCL
The participants at the Vegan International Festival in Tossa del Mar (Spain) were delighted to find themselves in such a beautiful and welcoming resort for their gathering. Since the local authorities have taken a strong stance to ban bull-fights and animal cruelty, they were happy to find a part of Spain to which they could support.
It was thought fitting that our visit should be commerated in a suitable way. Brian Gunn-King from Ireland, a specialist in Country Planning, suggested the planting of a commemorative tree, as has been done at the previous festival, and chose a pine tree as suitable for the local conditions. This was duly planted at a ceremony with suitable speeches by the (lady) Mayor of Tossa de MAr, and representatives from various countries who attended and also assisted in the planting by adding their shovelful of earth.
So if you ever go to Tossa de Mar, surely a place suitable for vegans to visit, go up towards the tower for which the town is famed, but turn right before the top and look plaque beside a small pinea pinea.
Or.. If you are reading this 50 years from now.. look for a tall tree bringing forth its fruit for the numerous vegans of this world.
From Vegan Views no 63. Winter 93/94.
(End of Report.)
