Every November, World Vegan Month is celebrated around the world as a time to shine a light on the vegan movement.
Everyone is welcome to join the celebration, which has become the perfect time to encourage the vegan-curious to take the next step towards a vegan lifestyle and challenge any vegan stereotypes. World Vegan Month is a time for debate, discussion and education. But most of all, it is a time for optimism and vegan festivities!
You may have elaborate celebration plans already mapped out, but if you are a little bit stuck for ideas, you have found the perfect place for inspiration. Be sure to comment and let us know how you will be celebrating.
1. Organise a vegan themed lunch at work
On 1 November many work places around the world will be marking World Vegan Day by holding a celebratory vegan themed lunch. If your workplace has no plans to mark the occasion, why not be the one to organise it? Vegan work lunches can be a great way to introduce a diverse audience to the delightfulness and accessibility of vegan food. You could even make it really festive by adorning your place of work with animal or world themed decorations as a nod to how beneficial veganism is for our planet and for the animals. Be sure to share your celebrations on social media with the hashtags #WorldVeganMonth and #WorldVeganDay, we would love to see what you get up to!
2. Host a vegan themed movie night
Movies can be a great resource in inspiring compassion for animals and helping people to make the connection. Heart-tugging films like Okja can be a great place to start, or if you're looking for a more light-hearted angle, why not try Carnage by Simon Amstell. It might be worth having a list of vegan resources ready in case your guests are inspired to take action.
3. Hold a tasting session for non-vegan friends
One of the biggest barriers for many people when considering veganism is the negative perception of vegan food. Some people are still unaware of just how far vegan fare has come along in the past few years and just how many of their current favourite foods are already ‘accidently vegan’. You could put together a spread with a selection of your favourite vegan treats, healthy dishes and even a selection of mock meat products and vegan cheeses. Show your friends that they don’t have to miss anything!
4. Challenge yourself or friends to take the Vegan Pledge
If you consider yourself to be vegan-curious or know somebody else who is, there is no better time to take the plunge than during World Vegan Month. November is a popular time for our 30-day pledge, so you will certainly be in good company, which means you can reach out to others for advice and support. The Pledge is a completely free resource developed by The Vegan Society, where you will receive daily messages direct to your inbox offering advice and tips for the early stages of your vegan journey and beyond.
5. Make a donation to your favourite vegan charity or animal sanctuary
“Veganism is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose."
Sometimes mainstream media can ignore the true meaning of veganism, instead focusing heavily on the health aspects or it’s growing popularity. World Vegan Month is the perfect opportunity to remind ourselves and others why our founding members coined the term ‘vegan’ and exactly what it stands for. What better way to cement this idea than donating to a vegan charity or an animal sanctuary? If you are unable to make a financial contribution, you could always opt to give your time instead by volunteering.
6. Treat yourself to a delicious vegan meal and stock up on vegan goodies
One of the brilliant things about World Vegan Month is that lots of vegan-friendly retailers, cafes and restaurants will be marking the occasion by offering customers fantastic discounts. Aside from saving some money, supporting your favourite vegan-friendly business helps to keep them going. Every time you choose to buy vegan, you are voting with your coin on how you think businesses should operate. Take a look at our member discount offers here.
7. Take part in vegan outreach
Educating someone about veganism in a non-judgmental and considerate manner can be a very fulfilling experience, particularly if your words then go on to inspire someone to make a change. Outreach can take a variety of forms, from organising group demonstrations to smaller one-on-one style education. You could also get creative in how you plan outreach. Think about what helped you make the decision to go vegan, is there any way you could replicate this with others?
8. Get political
The increase of veganism is never more present than during World Vegan Month. At this time of year, you will probably be inspired by the growth of the movement, which will likely spur you on to want to do more. You can make a real difference by helping to support our campaigns, such as Grow Green, by writing to your local MP and asking them to get behind us!
9. Bake a vegan cake
Nothing says celebration quite like a cake and with so many delicious vegan recipes out there, there really is no need for the addition of eggs or dairy. A scrumptious vegan cake could take pride of place in your vegan work lunch. Why not try out this recipe for our Celebration fruit crown, a recipe developed especially for World Vegan Month.
10. Become a member
The Vegan Society was formed all the way back in November 1944. Since that time, the society and veganism in general has grown at an astonishing rate. World Vegan Month was started in order to recognise and celebrate this progression, so there really is no better time to join the voice of veganism!
Be sure to share your #WorldVeganMonth celebrations on our Facebook page.
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The views expressed by our bloggers are not necessarily the views of The Vegan Society.
