LITHUANIA: "VeGandhi" and Goodness mision initiative
The first study day on veganism and vegetarianism in the academic history of Lithuania. Took place on 7 December, 2015 at Kaunas University of Technology, A. Mickevičiaus str. 37, Kaunas, Aula (10:00 - 17:00).
VeGandhi, a one-day meeting on Vegan studies was the event organised with three purposes:
1) As an eating lifestyle, veganism and vegetarianism address the question of volunteering for a better society via our food choices. Eating is a primary need, therefore conscientious eating is one of the most basic forms of active citizenship. Some of the most important volunteering campaigns in human rights, environmentalism, animal rights, and else, are based on food choices.
2) As a general word, "veganism" does not designate only a eating lifestyle, but the whole movement for animal welfare and animal rights. During VeGandhi, volunteers in this field were invited to speak and share their experience and work. In particular, also two less conventional forms of volunteering were chosen, that offered a wider picture of these activities and went beyond the traditional idea of social activism as a "street demonstrations and petitions" type.
3) Finally, by associating the event to the figure of Gandhi, the intention was to celebrate not only one of the most famous vegetarians in history, but also a leader who persuaded and guided a whole nation of volunteers into freedom, independence and emancipation.
Discussion, experiences, philosophies (and sharing of recipes) were organised in the company of:
- JURGIS DIDŽIULIS (singer-songwriter),
- EDGARAS LUBYS (aka AMBERLIFE, singer-songwriter),
- ERICA JENNINGS (singer-songwriter),
- BRIGITA KYMANTAITĖ (volunteer and manager at ‘Animal Rights Protection Lithuania’),
- JURGA LAGO (jewellery artist),
- DARIO MARTINELLI (director of the International Semiotics Institute),
- GABRIELĖ VAITKEVIČIŪTĖ (volunteer at ‘Empty cages’).
The second part of the event was dedicated to the Faculty students volunteers who shared their stories of volunteering. Open space was given for sharing and discussing "Why should I volunteer?", and celebrating Goodness.
More information about VeGandhi on Facebook event >>>
Photos from the event >>
Links to the video records:
Event programme >>>
Poster >>>
Press:
http://ktu.edu/lt/socialiniu-humanitariniu-mokslu-ir-menu-fakultetas/ivykis/vegandhi-ir-gerumo-misijos-diena
http://ktu.edu/lt/ziniasklaidai/naujiena/vegetarizma-praktikuojancius-zinomus-zmones-subure-ktu-vykes-vegandhi
http://skonis.lrytas.lt/mitybos-abc/zinomi-zmones-apie-mityba-kuri-pakeite-ju-savijauta.htm
http://kauno.diena.lt/node/723702
http://www.diena.lt/node/723702
http://klaipeda.diena.lt/node/723702