| World Vegan Day | |
|---|---|
 World Vegan Day Logo | |
| Type | International |
| Date | 1 November |
| Next time | 1 November 2025 |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Related to | World Vegetarian Day |
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| Part of a series on |
| Veganism |
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World Vegan Day is a global event celebrated annually on 1 November. Vegans celebrate the benefits of veganism for animals, humans, and the natural environment [1] through activities such as setting up stalls, hosting potlucks, and planting memorial trees.
The event was established in 1994 by Louise Wallis, then Chair of The Vegan Society in the United Kingdom, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the organization [2] and the coining of the terms "vegan" and "veganism". [3] Speaking in 2011, Wallis said: "We knew the Society had been founded in November 1944 but didn’t know the exact date, so I decided to go for 1 November, partly because I liked the idea of this date coinciding with Samhain/Halloween and the Day of the Dead - traditional times for feasting and celebration, both apt and auspicious." [4]
World Vegan Day, a.k.a. International Vegan Day[ citation needed ], is celebrated in continuity with Vegetarian Awareness Month (all of October), which begins with World Vegetarian Day on October 1. [5] October also includes other commemorative dates involving reverence for life in all species, [6] faith-based vegetarianism [7] [8] and animal advocacy, and more. [9]
World Vegan Day follows Vegetarian Awareness Month (October) and initiates World Vegan Month (all of November). [10]
November 2, commemorated as Dynamic Harmlessness Day, is the birthday of the late H. Jay Dinshah, founder of the American Vegan Society. [11]
The Vegan Society is a registered charity and the oldest vegan organization in the world, founded in the United Kingdom in 1944 by Donald Watson, Elsie Shrigley, George Henderson and his wife Fay Henderson among others.
The International Vegetarian Union (IVU) is an international non-profit organization whose purpose is to promote vegetarianism. The IVU was founded in 1908 in Dresden, Germany.
The Boston Vegetarian Society (BVS) is a non-profit educational organization based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, with the purpose of promoting and supporting vegetarianism and veganism. It hosts monthly speaking events and an annual vegetarian food festival in the fall.
World Vegetarian Day is observed annually around the planet on October 1. It is a day of celebration established by the North American Vegetarian Society in 1977 and endorsed by the International Vegetarian Union in 1978, "To promote the joy, compassion and life-enhancing possibilities of vegetarianism." It brings awareness to the ethical, environmental, health, and humanitarian benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle. World Vegetarian Day initiates the month of October as Vegetarian Awareness Month, which ends with November 1, World Vegan Day, as the end of that month of celebration. Vegetarian Awareness Month has been known variously as "Reverence for Life" month, "Month of Vegetarian Food", and more.
The Toronto Vegetarian Association (TVA), also known as VegTO, is a volunteer-driven, charitable organization based in Toronto, Ontario. Founded in 1945, its mission is to inspire people to choose a healthier, greener, more compassionate lifestyle through plant-based eating.
Colleen Patrick-Goudreau is an American author, lecturer, TEDx speaker, cultural commentator, and podcaster. Patrick-Goudreau advocates veganism as a means by which to prevent cruelty to animals.
Bob Linden is the creator, executive producer and host of Go Vegan Radio, a one-hour talk radio program dedicated to topics including veganism, animal rights and environmentalism. Linden is also an events organizer and professional promoter. Linden played a major role in the conception, development and promotion of Vegan Earth Day Events, San Diego Fall-Fest, which he has also emceed. He has served as Media Coordinator for the Farm Animal Rights Movement (FARM) and the Great American Meatout.
Compassionate Action for Animals (CAA) is a Minneapolis-based animal advocacy non-profit focused on raising awareness on factory farming and promoting vegetarianism and veganism.
The American Vegan Society (AVS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that promotes veganism in the United States. It was founded in 1960 by H. Jay Dinshah. The date of the earlier The Vegan Society (UK)'s founding, November 1, is now celebrated annually as World Vegan Day.
The North American Vegetarian Society (NAVS) is a charity and activist organization with the stated objectives of supporting vegetarians and informing the public about the benefits of vegetarianism.
Jewish vegetarianism is a commitment to vegetarianism that is connected to Judaism, Jewish ethics or Jewish identity. Jewish vegetarians often cite Jewish principles regarding animal welfare, environmental ethics, moral character, and health as reasons for adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet.
VegfestAU is a vegan food festival held annually in Sydney and Melbourne on or around World Vegan Day, 1 November.
HappyCow is a mobile app and website that lists vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants and also a passionate community of over one million vegan-focused members. Aside from listing restaurants it also lists farmers markets, health food stores and all types of businesses with a vegan focus.
Multiple symbols have been developed to represent lacto-vegetarianism and veganism. Several are used on food packaging, including voluntary labels such as The Vegan Society trademark or the V-Label as well as the vegetarian and non-vegetarian marks mandated by the Indian government. Symbols may also be used by members of the vegetarian and vegan communities to represent their identities, and in the course of animal rights activism.
ProVeg Deutschland is a German non-profit organisation whose goal is to reduce the consumption of animal products. ProVeg Deutschland is part of ProVeg International, which serves as an international umbrella for a group of nationally operating organisations.
Veganuary is an annual challenge run by a UK nonprofit organisation that promotes and educates about veganism by encouraging people to follow a vegan lifestyle for the month of January. Since the event began in 2014, participation has increased each year. 400,000 people signed up to the 2020 campaign. The campaign estimated this represented the carbon dioxide equivalent of 450,000 flights and the lives of more than a million animals. Veganuary can also refer to the event itself.
ProVeg Nederland, known as Viva Las Vega's (VLV) from 2011 to 2017, is a Dutch foundation that aims to accelerate the transition towards a plant-based food system. The foundation's stated goal is to make it easier for consumers to eat plant-based more often and also to help companies address the growing demand in plant-based products. ProVeg Nederland is a member of the international ProVeg International.
Media related to World Vegan Day at Wikimedia Commons