International Vegetarian Union (IVU) | |
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Reports from Workshops and Discussion
Groups
Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1999 20:53:57 +0000 My talk on Animal Issues in East Asia was unscripted and anyway the text would mean nothing without the pictures (which are available to anyone on the EarthCare website). It was aimed at health motivated as opposed to animal-suffering motivated vegetarians. Afterwards I realised that I should have asked my audience what they were. I suspect that most were the latter and therefore I was preaching to the converted. Anyway I was very gratified at the response. A very enthusiastic discussion followed about what could be done about the situations I had highlighted. This fitted in well with Vanessa's talk that morning about "Beyond Ahimsa" and I hope people left with their motivations strengthened to do what they can. Just one small complaint for the attention of future organisers - I was disappointed with the dark screen provided which made all my photos appear dull and blue - I needed a white background for my projector. The hotel sheets didn't hack it - they were grey! And the wall you saw them on was even worse!
Best wishes.
SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL - STARTING AND DEVELOPING A VEGETARIAN GROUP The purpose of this workshop was to encourage and give suggestions to those interested in starting a vegetarian group, and also to brainstorm ideas how to revitalise and revive some "dormant" groups. In preparation for this workshop (perhaps not early enough) I had sent out a questionnaire on ivu-talk with the hope of receiving some feedback from existing societies regarding various points relevant to the topic. From the five which I received back it was clear that there truly is scope for getting together and exploring new ideas and methods in order to keep this movement growing strongly and healthily. In the introduction I referred to the "Starting up Pack" of information, published by the Veg Soc of UK, which had probably been the only help I had when I, together with my husband and my yoga teacher, co-founded the VS of Malta. This pack of information, although intended for affiliated groups, local groups or information centres, is invaluable material to anyone wishing to start a new group outside of the UK. I also referred to a draft compiled by Dudley Ghiel, who also suggests many ideas on the same lines. It was confirmed to me by Tina Fox and Dudley Gheil that these two publications are available to anyone interested on request. Since most of the points suggested in these publications were tackled in a previous workshop "International Networking for Vegetarianism and the Animals", I thought I should tackle the subject from a different angle. I started by expressing my opinion that it is good that we use workshops such as these to stop awhile and reflect on our work and make a little self-evaluation. All of us know that every organisation, big or small, has a story. The story of an organisation is special in that it does not necessarily reflect the ideas of the author only but it is a reflection of the effect of many things, some of them dependent on us, and in this respect we have to do our utmost to use our potentiality in the best possible way, and of course some factors which may prevail or develop in a way completely beyond our control. We know that today in some areas of the world our work has become somehow easier, most probably as a result and thanks to our predecessors who were pioneers in the World veg movement. Still there are many places where vegetarianism needs to take root and all of us have a certain amount of responsibility to see that the slaughter of animals for food is reduced everywhere in the world. The following points were presented and discussed. Most of the participants contributed in some way with their comments, which were all positive. POINTS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN STARTING A VEGETARIAN GROUP
1. AIMS
2. KNOWING WHAT WE WANT AND PLANNING ACCORDINGLY
3. NEVER GIVE UP
4. SELF-EVALUATION
5. CHANGING AND GROWING -OPEN MINDEDNESS
6. NEVER COMPROMISE PRINCIPLES In an interesting discussion which arose on this point, Peter McQueen and Dudley Geihl gave their opinions that spokespersons for an organisation should, when talking in public, express not only their personal feelings but also those of the other members of the group, even to have as large an outreach as possible.
7. ENROLLING OTHERS IN YOUR IDEA Cooks are as important. No matter how sensitive people are towards animals, if you don't show them that they can enjoy their veg and pulses it might not be easy to convince them. Include food at every opportunity. Meals are the best form of socialising. But they can also become boring if we do not use some imagination. Combine meals with other things, eg show a video and have a meal afterwards. Organise a good strong cooking team. This can also be one good way of networking with other groups. One example from Malta was the case of a society known as the Island Sanctuary, young volunteers taking care of 150 abandoned dogs. Every month they used to organise a fund-raising dinner which was not vegetarian. Only one member of the board of eight was vegetarian. Once we offered to cook a vegetarian dinner for their members, to replace their monthly fundraiser. After the dinner, all except one turned vegetarian. After that this group always participated in our Reverence for Life Activities which we organise in October. Another example is staff dinners and parties. Suggest that once you will organise a vegetarian cooking team to cook dinner for the staff of your workplace. It happened once in my school. 44 teachers ate vegetarian and liked it. Many of them ask me: When are we going to do it again?
8. HAVE A REGULAR NEWSLETTER
9. USE OF LOCAL LANGUAGE
10. LOVING YOURSELF At the end of the workshop we gave out samples of publications, stickers, flyers. There was also an exhibition of photos of various activities of the Veg Soc of Malta, as well as photocopies of the letter which was the start of the Veg Soc of Malta, and other letters to the press, advertisements, etc. This workshop could have gone on for quite a while, exploring ideas and exchanging experiences. It proved there is a lot of potential still untapped. If we make maximum use of our resources and share whatever we have, there is no limit to what we can achieve. - Katherine Azzopardi
FLOWER RECIPES Chaiyong RUJJANAWATE Ph.D. (Pharmacology) Flowers of many common kinds can be eaten and served as a distinctive flavorful dish. Naturally, flowers play an important role in the process of reproduction of flowering plants. The beauty of blooming flowers is recognized and contributes to the decoration of gardens, indoor places and tables. The value and beauty of edible flowers is appreciated if one knows how to make a suitable recipe. Not all flowers are edible and not all edible flowers are suitable in culinary art. However, some of the most common garden-variety flowers can be used to liven up cuisines, as a garnish or as a proper and tasty dish. This lecture will present of flower recipes, details of common edible flowers and how to pick them properly. Examples of oriental floral salads, soup and condiments are shown in colorful slides.
Vegetarianism and the universal Force Vegetarian food consist of plants, non animal products and the green fiber. All plants have chlorophyll which can photosynthesize and produce foods from sun light, cosmic and universeal force together with water and natural nutririon. Part of human body, such as our skin has the same function in receiving the light, the Cosmic and the Universal Energy and then convert them to our energy. Human bone and organs have the formation like the crystal, and it also, as all the plants do, can synthesizes the light and universal energy to be the life one. With the inner smile, we can get in touch with our organs, bone and skin. At the same time our organs can also connect with the universe, cosmic, and light. The cleaner diet from vegetarian food and green will help to transform our body and we can get in touch with the universe and the nature more and more. Master Mantak Chia Having studied Tao, and many other ancient knowledge together with medical science and anatomy, he set up the healing Tao Center in New York in 1979, leading to setting up other center around the world, including the International Healing Tao at the Tao Garden in Chiang mai, Thailand. Being a warm, friendly and helpful man, he can present the healing Tao System in a simple , practical manner , always expanding his approach to teaching |