The International Vegetarian Union (IVU) is an international non-profit organization whose purpose is to promote vegetarianism. The IVU was founded in 1908 in Dresden, Germany.[1][2]
It is an umbrella organisation, which includes organisations from many countries and often organises World and Regional Vegetarian Congresses.[3] These alternate in two-year cycles.
Origin
In 1907, the British Vegetarian Society celebrated its diamond jubilee by inviting leaders from vegetarian societies to an international gathering.[4] At the gathering Dr. Danjou, vice-president of the French Vegetarian Society, proposed a new International Vegetarian Federation.[4][5]Albert Broadbent, secretary of the Vegetarian Society, wrote to vegetarian societies around the world inviting them to meet in Dresden on August 18, 1908. The International Vegetarian Union (IVU) was founded in 1908 at the first World Vegetarian Congress in Dresden. German, British and Dutch Societies attended with support from 14 other countries.[4] Albert Broadbent, Dr. Meyroos secretary of the Netherlands Vegetarian Society and Gustav A. Selss, president of the German Vegetarian Association were elected members of the IVU provisional Committee.[6]
History
Participants in the first World Vegetarian Congress in 1908
The ruling body from IVU is the International Council and the eight elected members who form it serve four year terms.[7] Each council member must be vegetarian and hold a current position within a member organization.[7]
Member organizations may be continental groups (EVU, VUNA,[8] NAVS,[9] etc.), local or other regional vegetarian organizations whose primary purpose is the promotion of vegetarianism and the support of vegetarian living (e.g. EarthSave).
The IVU Congress president from 1923 to 1926 was Ernest Bell.[10] The 6th World Vegetarian Congress held in London in 1926 featured displays of vegetarian boots as well as furs, gloves, tennis rackets and violin strings all made without any animal substances.[11][12] There was a unanimous decision to exclude membership from any society that allowed fish consumption.[12]
The 15th World Vegetarian Congress was held in India, in 1957. It has been described by historians as bringing together Hindu nationalism and internationalism.[13]
The IVU also encourages regional and national organizations to run vegetarian festivals, such as the 43rd World VegFest in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia, on 25 October 2015[14] and the hundreds of currently organized vegetarian festivals on many continents.
The organization's 1975 World Vegetarian Congress in Orono, Maine, has been called the most significant event of the vegetarian movement in the United States in the 20th century and led to the 1974 founding of the North American Vegetarian Society.[15]
In November 1999, the IVU role of president was abolished and was replaced by Chairman of the International Council.[16] Marly Winckler is the current Chair of IVU.[17]
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