GENERAL MEETING ON WEDNESDAY 25th August from 09.30 to 13.00 hrs. in the Assembly Hall of the Edward Herbert building, University of Technology, Loughborough, Leicestershire, England, U.K. -1979

1. The Chairman, Dr.Gordon Latto (President of I.V.U.) greeted the 400 plus participants from some 20 nationalities and Mr.B.J.Gunn-King read out messages from abroad.
2. Apologies for absence were read out and the Official Voting delegates and Officers of I.V.U. assembled in the front of the hall.
3. The minutes of the last General Meeting at Vigyen Bhawan in Delhi India of 21st Nov. 1977 were read out and approved and matters arising discussed.

The Hon.Gen.Secretary's Report and Treasurer's report were read out and approved as were the audited accounts for H.Q. for the 2 years ending 31st March 1979. The list of affiliated and associated societies was provided and their subscriptions up to date.
The Regional Secretaries reports were read out for N.America and India and The East.

4. Election of Officers proceeded:-

HONORARY FELLOWS (not for re-election), Woodland Kahler (U.S.A.)
Elected:- Herr Geo Hiller (retiring Dep. President); Prof.Scott Nearing (U.S.A.); former Exec. V-P) Smt. Rukmini Devi Arundale (ex H.V-P and M.P.); Smt.Mehra B.Malemgamvala (ex H.V-P); Shri M.Somani (ex H.V-P) (all India); Mr.Geoffrey Rudd (former Hon.Gen.Sec.); Mr.Geoffrey Hodson (N.Zealand)

PRESIDENT: Dr.Gordon Latto (U.K.); DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Herr U.Schroter (W.Germany - judge); HON.TREASURER: Mr.C.D.Fettes (Eire); Hon.Asst.Treasurer: Mr.W.M.Capper (N.Ireland)

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENTS: Mr.H.J.Dinshah (U.S.A.); Dipl.Ing.J.Fleischanderl (Austria); Mr.B.J.Gunn-King (N.Ireland); Mr.German A.Vasquez (Venezuela)

HON.Vice-Presidents: Miss R.Playle (Canada); H.H.Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji Rajkumar (India); Shri V.H.Dalmia (India); Shri S.M.Mehta (India); Dr.T.M.P.Rahadevan (India); Shri N.Mahalingam, Sari V.Jhaveri (India); Dr.rer oec Ralph Bircher (Norway); Prof.A.M.G.da Costa Cabral (Portugal); Dr. Prof.D.M.Cervera Cebolla (Spain); Dr.Ferdinando Pelor (Italy); Mr.J.N.le Grice (U.K.); Mr.P.L.Pick (U.K.); Dipl.Ing.S.H.Idnnio (U.S.A.); Dr.M.Tada (Japan); Mr Fred Whittle (Australia); Dr.C.Sypkens (Netherlands); Dr.C.A.Skriver (W.Germany).

HON.REGIONAL SECRETARIES:
Australasia Mr.G.Karolyi (prof.engineer)
Africa: Mr.Evan P.Morkel
Europe: Mr.C.D.Fettes
India and The East: jointly Mr.S.M.Mehta & Dr.M.M.Bhamgara
Latin America: Hon.Corr.Sec. Mr German A.Vasquez
Middle East: Hon.Corr.Sec. Mr.P.L.Pick

HON.SEC.SCIVU: Dipl.Ing: Julius Fleischlanderl.
HON.GENERAL SECRETARY: Mr.Maxwell Lee
HON.ASST.GENERAL SECRETARY: Mr.Amarjeet Sinh Bhamra

HON LIFE PATRONS (newly created): Shri S.M.Mehta; Mr.Shantilal Mehta (India); Mr.B.G.D.Flower & Mrs V.Flower (U.K.)

INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL: President; Dep.President; Hon.Tresurer; Hon.Asst.Treasurer; 4 Exec.V-P's; Heads of Regions; Mrs.W.M.Eikeboom-Broekman; Mrs.L.Raaf; Mr.H.van Loon; Prof.M.J.Londono

RESOLUTIONS PASSED:

1. That the minimum subscription for Member Societies shall be raised to £5.00 sterling (for the first 150 members) for 3 representative votes then £10.00 for each succeeding block of 500 members equivalent to 1 additional vote up to an overall maximum of 10 votes per Member Society. The minimum rates for Associate Members is raised to £7.50 per year. All new rates to be paid to H.Q. Treasurer with effect from 1st April 1980. That the quarterly advance payment to the Hon.Gen.Sec. for sundry secretarial costs should rise from £35.00 to £45.00 at the same time.

2. That simultaneous translation be guaranteed to any single linguistic group, exceeding 30 in number, whose members pay the World Congress registration fees (all) not less than 6 calendar months in advance of the start of that Congress. Should more groups apply than can be satisfactorily managed technically on site, the first to pay their fees shall be given preference. Other groups would then be reimbursed in full not less than 5 calendar months before the start of the Congress. Groups paying later than these dates may be accommodated (no guarantee) if circumstances permit.

3. That because half the world's population is on the verge of starvation or suffering from malnutrition and because it takes up to 7 times more land to feed people on cattle than on fruit, vegetables, nuts, grain etc., this Congress is requested through its appropriate Regions and Member Societies to urge the Governments of Brazil and Japan not to convert the forests of Matto Grosso from its present state to settle ranching. This would protect a valuable renewable timber resource and one of the world's major oxygenating areas.

4. That 1979 being the International "Year of the Child", World Vegetarians be asked through their regions and Member Societies to inaugurate the "Decade of the Child" as from 1980 with the importance of vegetarian principles being inculcated among the Children of the World if Civilisation is to survive.

5. That all Regional and National Vegetarian Societies should actively encourage the establishment of recognised vegetarian primary schools in their areas. These would provide the correct atmosphere, diet, ethics for the education and healthy development of vegetarian children from the start, thus setting a good example to the whole community.

6. That the venue for the 26th World Vegetarian Congress of I.V.U. should be in West Germany in the Summer of 1982.
N.B. An offer had been received from the North American Vegetarian Society for the 27th World Vegetarian Congress to be held there in 1984 and this will be seriously considered at the next Congress General Meeting.

Regional and National Society reports were read out at two following sessions of the Congress from 30th Aug. 1979:-
Austrian Veg,Union - Mr.Julius Fleishanderl (President)
Australasia & S.Australia Veg.Soc, by Mr Fred Whittle
North America - Mr.H.J.Dinshah
Danish Veg.Society - Mrs Olesen
French Vegetarians - M.Pierre Trouve
Egyptian Vegetarians - Prof.T.Magalid
Eire and T.E.V.A. - Mr.C.D.Fettes
Friends Veg.Soc. - Mrs.Eva Batt
The Vegetarian Society of the U.K. - Mr.David Knowles (General Sec.)
Bund fur Lebenserneuerung e.V. - Herr R.Meyer
Aktion D.D.R. Herr Gerhard Hartel
Assoc.Vegetariana Italiana - Dr.F.Delor's report
Jewish Vegetarian Society - Mr.P.L.Pick
Japanese Vegetarian Union - Mr.M.Tada
De Nederlandse Vegetariersbond - Mrs.W.M.Eikeboom-Broekman
Israel Vegetarian Movement - Mrs.G.Wolf
Nigerian (S.O.U.L.) Vegetarian Society - Mr.Gunn-King read report
South African Vegetarian Union - Mrs. Pamela Solarsh
Latin-American Vegetarian Union - delegate from Venezuela
Swedish Vegetarian Society - Herr Anders G.Kocken

Generally the Congress went very well thanks to the excellent organisation of the host society V.S.U.K. Ltd. especially Mr.John le Grice (Dep.President), Mr.Ivor Williams and Mrs Beryl Williams (Chairman VSUK) on Registration etc. with their willing colleagues. The University was very good on providing first class buffet meals to suit all tastes. The campus was pleasantly green and the accommodation adequate although it was a good job the weather held perfectly due to healthy walking required between buildings and town-Loughborough 2 miles away (50,000 pop) with 2 health food stores. The Assembly Hall just contained the audience at peak and it was unfortunate that due to a motor accident interpreters were late in arriving but with the unstinting help of Dr.Barabra Latto and German friends the fort was held and eventually Japanese interpretation arrived. The youth camp for vegetarians was in the picturesque Charnwood Forest with 125 inhabitants with their own programme but helping the Congress with entertainment, led walks, arts etc. in the capable hands of Barry Harkinson. The Asian Vegetable Garden on the campus was fascinating and coach tours were well-attended. A summary of the modified programme is given.