The theme of the 34th World Vegetarian Congress taking place in Toronto last week was, officially, "Sharing the Vision." And, while this was certainly fitting, the unofficial theme running through the conference was interconnectedness. Nearly every speaker stressed the connections between the choices we make and the world in which we, the animals, and our children will live in the future. The conference was also about the interconnectedness of our global cause, about meeting people from all over the world, exchanging our work and ideas, and sharing a vision of a future we can create together.

In lectures and workshops ranging from optimal nutrition and preventing heart disease to consumerism and free speech, attendees were encouraged to think about the choices we make in our everyday lives and their effects on us, other animals, and our planet.

I've put together photos and synopses of lectures on a wide range of topics, which you'll find on the following pages:

Howard Lyman
The former cattle rancher turned vegan discusses the cattlemen's suit against him and Oprah Winfrey, as well as free speech, and the effects of current agricultural practices.