From The Vegetarian Messenger (Manchester) early 1947: The 11th International Vegetarian Congress. Following a great war of unprecedented chaos and destruction conditions in many parts of the world, and particularly throughout Europe, life cannot be expected to be other than disordered, both economically and financially, but as nine years have elapsed since the last congress of the International Vegetarian Union was held, in Norway, it was felt that despite the present difficulties a resumption of the work of the Union should be effected as soon as possible. With 1947 being the Centenary Year of The Vegetarian Society the International Vegetarian Union (disorganized to some extent by war conditions) was invited to hold its first postwar congress in Britain. Several delegates from abroad may not be able to get to England for the meetings, and the question of accommodation and catering is still a difficult problem. Nevertheless through the courtesy of the Governors, Headmaster and Housemasters of Wycliffe College, Stonehouse, a limited number of delegates can be housed at the College and a beginning thus made. The International Vegetarian Union has done much good work in the past in bringing together the vegetarian societies of different countries and in taking action internationally on matters affecting vegetarians. It is, therefore, important that the machinery governing this aspect of the movement should again be set in motion. From The Vegetarian News (London) Spring 1947: International Vegetarian Union Congress Not all the international phenomena arrive via the L.V.S. letter-box. The Secretary and Treasurer of the International Vegetarian Union (of which the London Vegetarian Society is a member) - J. H. Bolt of Amersfoort in Holland, and Oluf Egerod of Copenhagen - were welcome visitors early in the new year. In London they conferred with James Hough of the Vegetarian Society (Manchester), and Leslie Severs of the L.V.S. about the future of I.V.U. activities in general and the Eleventh International Congress in particular. The Congress will be held at Wycliffe College, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, whose Headmaster, W. A. Sibly, is President of the I.V.U. (and also of the Vegetarian Society, and Vice President of the L.V.S.). The Congress programme including, it is hoped, an L.V.S. reception in London for the delegates, will be described in the next Vegetarian News, and the autumn number will include a report of the Congress. Meanwhile, we send to Mr. Bolt and Mr. Egerod and their colleagues our best wishes for the success of their devoted labours, in which vegetarianism, humanitarianism and world peace are not separate endeavours but rather a trinity. They are working to lay the foundations for effective co-operation between the organised bodies of vegetarians in many nations; and, more important, they are animated by the spirit of internationalism in which the separate identity of each nation is not denied but the brotherhood of mankind and the kinship of all creatures is remembered, too. From The Vegetarian News (London) Summer 1947: INTERNATIONAL VEGETARIAN UNION Eleventh Congress The Eleventh Congress of the International Vegetarian Union is to meet at Wycliffe College, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, at the end of July, Secretary J. H. Bolt, of Amersfoort, Holland, reports that delegates are expected from America, Belgium, Canada, Czechosovakia, Denmark, Eire, France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Sweden and Switzerland, and there has also been an enquiry from Spain. The London Vegetarian Society is sending three delegates, its Executive Chairman and Secretary - S. A. Hurren and Roy Walker - and Janet Walker. This will be the first Congress since 1938 when the I.V.U., met in Norway. The programme includes lectures on "Vegetarianism and Childbirth" by Dr. Cyril Pink, and "Raw Food in Health and Disease" by Dr. von Brasch of Zurich. Mr. H. H. Jones of the Vegetarian Society (Manchester) will speak on "Feeding the World : Famine Conquered" and it is hoped to send a suitable resolution on this subject to the Press. Of special interest in this connection is an important article by the Director of the Ovaltine Research Laboratories, Dr. Frank Wokes, Vice-President of the London Vegetarian Society, which appears in this issue. Dr. Wokes' article, already approved by a distinguished nutrition authority, has been submitted to more than a hundred leading dietetic experts in Britain for comment and criticism. There will also be a lecture and discussion on Veganism, reports from the affiliated societies, and consideration of the possibility of an international vegetarian magazine. Other business is varied by one or two excursions and entertainments. On Tuesday afternoon, August 5th, at the conclusion of the Congress, the London Vegetarian Society is giving a reception for delegates only at the Attic Club, London. The International Vegetarian Union was launched in 1908 on the initiative of Dr. G. Danjou of France, and has survived the vicissitudes of two world wars. Communications were severely damaged, in some cases destroyed, by the catastrphic events of the last few years, but Mr. Bolt and his Danish colleague, Oluf Egerod, are working patiently to rebuild the shattered structure, and the eleventh Congress is likely to prove as important as any in the eventful history of the movement. Under its simple constitution the I.V.U. normally convenes a Congress every three years. National societies pay an annual contribution of 1% of subscriptions received as an affiliation fee. The main purpose of the Union is to deal with international questions which may interest members of the Societies belonging to the I.V.U. From The Vegetarian Messenger (Manchester) late 1947: The International Congress. It is no exaggeration to say that the 11th Congress of the International Vegetarian Union, held at Wycliffe College, Stonehouse, last month, was highly successful. The period of the Congress was a full and busy one and it is regretted that the delegates from Germany did not receive their permits to travel until after the Congress was over. The Scandinavian countries and Holland were strongly represented & and the renewal of prewar contacts and the discussions on current and future problems was a valuable feature of the proceedings. The part played by the President, Mr. Sibly, in doing whatever was possible to make everyone at home at Wycliffe College, was no less a valuable contribution to the success of the Congress. We hope that by 1950, when the next Congress is to be held in Holland, the food situation throughout Europe will be easier and that travel restrictions will be less irksome and restrictive.