Minutes of a meeting of the International Council of I.V.U. held at the Movenpick Hotel, Edwin-Scharff-Haus, Silcherstrasse 40, Neu-Ulm, West Germany, on Satturday 11th and Sunday,12th July, 1981.

Elected Council Members Present:- Mr Ulrich Schroter (Deputy President), Mr Julius Fleischanderl (Executive Vice-President), Dr German Alberti (Executive Vice-President), Mr Surenira M. Mehta (Hon. Regional Sec.), Mr Christopher Fettes (Hon Regional Sec.)

Co-opted Council Members: Mr Maxwell G. Lee (Hon.General Sec.), Mr Amarjeet-Singh Bhamra (Hon.Assis.Gen.Sec.) (part of Sunday only).

Others present: Mr Rudolf Meyer (Deputy President, Bund fur Lebenserneuerung e.V.), Mrs Marrigje Riemens-Dijkama (Hon. Secretary, Nederlands Vegetariersbond), Miss Astrid Kruger (Interpreter), Dr Hilmar Burggabe.

The Hon. General Secretary announced the passing of Mr Woodland Kahler, former President of I.V.U., and of Mrs Fay Rudd, the wife of a former Hon. General Secretary of I.V.U. He had written letters of sympathy to Mrs Kahier and to Mr Rudd.

1. Chairman's Welcome and Apologies for Absence
In the absence of the President, the Deputy President took the Chair and welcomed those present. The Hon. General Secretary read out a message from the President apologising for his absence due to another engagement which he had been unable to cancel and offering his best wishes for the success of the meeting.

Apologies had been received from: Mrs W.M.Eikeboom-Broekman, Mrs Shanta Raaff, Dr M.M.Bhamgara, Mr Roger Blessed, Mr W.Capper. Mr H.J.Dinshah, Mr B.J.Gunn-King, Mr G.Karolyi, Mr P.Pick. Messages of greeting had been received from Mr Geo Hiller and Professor Brockhouse

2. Minutes
The minutes of the meeting held Hannover on 31st May and 1st June 1980 were approved.

3.Matters Arising
Minute 13 - Mr William Parrott, a Banker, had been chosen as the Hon. Auditor and the choice was confirmed by the meeting.
Minute 17 - Nothing had been heard of a regional congress in Japan.
Minute 18 - The Vegetarian Society (U.K.) had continued to produce the Information Bulletin but was still considering its future,

Hon. General Secretary's Report
a) The Hon. General Secretary reported that Mr L van Loon had written to state that he had not been active in I,V.U, for some years and should not have been elected at the last World Congress and so now offered his resignation. Mrs Shanta Raaff had informed the Hon. General Secretary that she was moving to the United States but had not indicated how involved she could be in the affairs of I.V.U.

b) The receipt of three expense claims from the former Hon. General Secretary, Mr B. Gunn-King, was reported. These were for the period for which the accounts had been completed and audited, Council felt that such claims might have been presented at the relevant time but as a sign of goodwill agreed to pay £10 as a final payment of expenses but that no further claims could be entertained.

c) The problems of membership subscriptions for those societies which are unable to pay subscriptions abroad were raiesed by the Hon.General Secretary. Mr Meyer stated that the German Society would pay the annual subscription for the Polish Society and, if necessary, for the Yugoslav Society. The General Secretary agreed to write to Yugoslavia to discover their situation. It was agreed that when Societies were unable to pay an annual subscription, they should be treated as honorary members without the right to vote. Societies which fail to pay an annual subscription should be informed that they are no longer members of I.V.U. but one annual contact should be maintained with them by the Hon. General Secretary.

d) A request from the Regional Secretary for Australasia for some assistance with the costs of postage etc. was considered reasonable and the Hon. General Secretary was authorised to negotiate an agreement with Mr Karolyi which should be brought for formal ratification to the next meeting of the International Council

d) The Hon. General Secretary expressed concern at the little attention which was given to the idea of a World Vegetarian Day each year and the need for it to be promoted by I.V.U. The next World Congress would consider ways in which the day might be promoted worldwide.

e) A query had been raised about the need to establish a world vegetarian symbol with the support of I.V.U. It was agreed the question should be considered by the World Congress meeting.

f) A request had been received from the Associazione Vegetariana Italiana for support for a celebration for the anniversary of St Francis. It was agreed that, in principle support should be given if the dates did not conflict with the World Congress in Ulm; that I.V.U. should determine its representation and that a final decision should be made when details of the proposals are known.

g) A proposal from New Zealand for a distribution system to be organised for the distributIon of talks between Societies was not felt to be a practical proposition at the present time.

h) The Hon. General Secretary reported that he had replied to 216 letters since the last International Council as well as communicating with International Council members and distributing a newsletter

i) A suggestion that some elected persons should not be eligible for re-election at the following Congress was not supported. The Hon. General Secretary asked that anyone not wishing to stand for election at the next World Congress should inform him as soon as possible and that he should be informed of candidates for election as early as possible.

5. World Congress 1982
a) It was agreed that both the Hon. General Secretary and the German Society should distribute application forms for the Congress but that all applications should be sent to the German Society as this would be more convenient.

b) It was agreed that the normal Congress Fee should be payable up to 25th February, 1982 but that a reduced Fee should be paid by those booking by 15th Janauary,1982. From 26th February,1982 a higher Congress Fee should be payable. A range of possible costs for accommodation, all meals and Congress Fees according to type of accommodation and time of booking were suggested by Mr Meyer. It was agreed that he should finalise these when all possible contingencies had been considered. It was agreed that the Conference Fee and cost of food should be paid on booking but that the cost of accommodation might be paid later. The final arrangements would be made by Mr Neyer.

c) The food to be provided at the Congress would be suitable for both vegetarians and vegans and would be based on organic farming methods. Dr Hilmar Burggrabe was thanked for his kind offer to help with the supply of organically grown products.

d) Details of the general programme produced by Mr Meyer were considered and approved with several amendments. It was agreed that the theme of the Congress should reflect the ideals of I.V.U. and that a general theme should be "for a humane, healthy and peaceful world" if the German Society was happy with this.

e) Simultaneous translation facilities might be provided where thirty or more of a particular language group asked for the facility and guaranteed to attend. Copies of speeches and/or summaries of speeches would be made available if possible.

f) In order to encourage the participation of young people, a reduction in the Conference Fee would be made for them.

g) The German Society would make every effort to maximise publicity during the Congress through press, television and radio.

h) In order to assist needy persons to attend the Congress it was agreed that people booking should be invited to give a donation to help them to do so. It was also agreed that a sum from the Manker Fund might also be used to help speakers who might be in need as well as other participants.

i) A number of suggestions for speakers at the Congress were considered and it was emphaised that sufficient time should be given to I.V.U. business and for the discussion of world vegetarian problems. It was left for the Hon. General Secretary and Mr Meyer to agree the timing of I.V.U. business sessions and for the German Society to finalise the list of speakers, and the allocation of exhibition space to member societies and others.

6. World Congress 1984
It was agreed that 1984 should be the year when the next World Congress should take place.

A suggested venue for the Congress was Israel and a further offer was made by Dr Alberti of Venezuela or some other venue in South America. It was agreed that the final decision would be made by the next World C~ongress in 1982 but that those wishing to be considered should come with firm proposals.

7. Bolivian Musicians
The Hon. General Secretary reported further correspondence with Dr Toribio Tapia Valencia but, due to the scale of assistance that would be needed, it was agreed that I.V.U. could not assist on this occasion.

8. Financial Report
Accounts for the period from 1st April,1979 until 31st March,1981 were presented by the Hon. General Secretary. The reservations of the Hon. Auditor were explained due to the lack of full information being received from the previous Hon. General Secretary by the present Hon. Treasurer. It was agreed to check the figures for the Manker Fund and the Patrons' Fund as Mr Mehta felt they might not be accurate. The accounts showed a total of £5986 in the various accounts held by 1.V.U.

9. Manker Fund
Mr Mehta reported that some 9,0OO U.S. dollars were held in the Fund's account in India. It was agreed that Mr Mehta and the Hon. General Secretary should devise a system to carry out the aims of the Fund. Mr Mehta agreed to organise a display poster about the Fund for the next Congress.

The Hon. General Secretary announced that the V.S.U.K. had made a donation of £500 to the Fund and a further £500 to the Patrons' Fund out of the surplus from the Loughborough Congress.

Mr Mehta reminded the meeting that a decision about the award of the Manker trophy should be made by the International Council at its first meeting during the 1982 Congress.

10. Patrons' Fund
A donation to I.V.U. from Dr Gavin Wilkins of Australia was announced and it was agreed that he should be made a Patron if he so wished. It was agreed that people should be encouraged to apply for the position of Patron to increase the funds of I.V.U.

11. Newsletter
The Hon. General Secretary reported that the newsletter had been used by the Regional Secretary for Australasia in his local information sheet and that the Swiss vegetarians had translated the newsletter and printed much of it in their magazine 'Regenration'.

A number of messages welcoming the newsletter had been received. Members of the International Council were invited to send in any items they might have for the next issue of the newsletter.

12. Publications
A suggestion was made that the conclusions of the next Congress should be published and it was agreed that this should be considered by the Hon. General Secretary. Mr Meyer offered to duplicate papers presented at the next Congress and make them available to those wanting them if there appeared a demand. It was agreed that the Congress application form might ask if participants would like to have the Conference papers available.

The Hon. General Secretary suggested the need for I.V.U. to produce two or three leaflets for distribution to interested persons and for member societies. He mentioned an offer from Dr Alex Hershaft of the Vegetarian Information Service for I.V.U. to use any of his organisation's material. It was agreed that the Hon. General Secretary should produce relevant leaflets. Dr Alberti offered to produce any publications on his printing press in Spanish.

It was felt that I.V.U. should have its own distinctive cover. The Hon. General Secretary was given discretion over paying the costs of producing leaflets in particular areas or countries. It was suggested that suitable books might be recommended by the Hon. General Secretary in his newsletters.

13. Reports from Regional Secretaries
a) Latin America
Dr Alberti reported that 5 Congresses had taken place since 1972 in his region and that the Latin American Vegetarian Federation had been set up to co-ordinate activities and to represent I.V.U. in the region.

Venezuela had been chosen as headquarters for the organisation and Dr Alberti is Executive Secretary for the region.

A Congress will take place in Santiago, Chile in late 1981. Eleven countries have Societies or groups of Societies which are mebers of the Latin American Federation.

b) Europe
Mr Fettes reported the response he had received to a questionnaire he had sent to Societies in Europe and to a newsletter. The limited response had convinced him to await the next congres before trying to achieve some co-ordination of activities in the region.

The possibility of a regional Congress in 1983 in Italy was reported and Mrs Riemens-Dijkama offered the Netherlands as a possible venue should Italy not be able to provide the venue,

c) India and the Far East
Mr Mehta reported that he had had no contact outside the Indian region except from Shri Lanka. The Indian vegetarian Congress publishes a magazine and organises essay competitions, lectures and cookery demonstrations. The Congress is currently fighting proposals for the siting of slaughter houses and has asked the Indian government not to support such schemes. It is involved in a number of refuges for animals saved from slaughter.

There are five societies in the Indian Vegetorian Congress and a large number of local societies which are not members of the Vegetarian Congress.

d) Middle East
The report from Mr Pick indicated that, apart from in Israel, there is a lack of vegetarian achievement in the region. There was a possibility of some progress in Egypt soon and the way in which animals are treated there makes such development very desirable.

In Israel interest in vegetarianism is growing and the Israeli Vegetarian Union has recently become a member of I.V.U. There are three vegetarian orientated magazines and the Jewish Vegetarian Society is working to set up a Vegetarian Naturopathic College

e) North America
Reports have been received from Mr Jay Dinshah and Mr Brian Graff. There is a large number of local societies throughout the United States and Canada. Many are affiliated to I.V.U. through the North American Vegetarian Society. N.A.V.S. has had a number of changes over the past few years which have caused a number of problems but these are now being overcome and new growth is looked for.

f) Australasia
Mr Karolyi has issued a newsletter to societies in his region and hopes to hold regional meeting before the 1982 World Congress. He is exploring the possibility of group travel to the Congres.

14. Constitution
A possible revised constitution was considered and certain minor alterations were agreed. The International Council members will study the proposed Constitution and send their suggestions to the Hon. General Secretary. The Hon. General Secretary and Mr Fettes would produce an agreed version for submission to the 1982 Congress for approval.

15. S.C.I.V.U.
S.C.I.V.U. is going through a difficult period due to a lack of active members willing to accept office and accept a very full participation level. Professor Brookhouse has written to the Hon. General Secretary asking to be relieved of the position of Chairman of S.C.I.V.U.

It was agreed that I.V.U. should cease to advertise S.C.I.V.U. on the membership application form and that Mr Fleishanderl should inform subscribers to S.C.I.V.U. of the difficult situation faced and ask for active support. At the next World Congress a serious attempt should be inade to get active support for S,C.T.V.U. but if this should fail then S.C.I.V.U. should be dissolved.

16. The Role of IVU
The Hon. General Secretary suggested how he felt I.V.U. Might develop and the purposes it might serve. It was agreed that I.V.U. needed to develop its scope and its services to members. A suitable marketing strategy needed to be developed and a major effort made to seek active people to participate in the work.

All were asked to seek suitable persons to represent I.V.U. on various international bodies.

17. Vegetarian Exhibitions
The Assistant Hon. General Secretary suggested that I.V.U. should develop a natural food exhibition but it was not felt feasible for this to be undertaken by I.V.U. at the present time.

It was suggested that offers for such exhibition materials should be made to the German Society for the next World Congress.

18.International Federation of Religions
As an I.V.U. title had been used in connection with an office in the World Federation of Religions, it was agreed that no I.V.U. title should be used in connection with another organisation unless it was with the approval of the International Council.

It was agreed that the International Council of Religions might affiliate to I.V.U. but that I.V.U. might not affiliate to the 'International Federation of Religions. The Hon. General Secretary was authorised to accept an advisory position with the International Federation of Religions to advise it on vegetarian matters.

Representation at their Congress in 1982 should only be possible if they meet all the costs.

19. Services to Enquirers
The Hon. General Secretary read out a request for information from Kenya and explained the problems faced by lone vegetarians who find themselves alone in a hostile environment. It was agreed that the Hon. General Secretary should use his discretion in sending free literature on vegetarianism to enquirers.

20. Any other Business
The Hon. General Secretary was asked to enquire about the facilities for vegetarian and vegan meals offered by airlines which are members of I.A.T.A. and to encourage them to provide suitable meals and to offer to provide them with suitable recipes.