International Vegetarian Union Explained

International Vegetarian Union
Abbreviation:IVU
Predecessor:Vegetarian Federal Union
Founder:Georges Danjou
Founding Location:Dresden, Germany
Type:Nonprofit
Purpose:Promotion of vegetarianism
Region:Worldwide
Leader Title:Chairman of the International Council
Leader Name:Marly Winckler

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

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]

People

Presidents

Congress Presidents
1909 William E. A. Axon[18]
1910Henri Huchard[19] [20]
1910–1913 Hugo Nolthenius[21]
1920–1923 Johan Lindstrom-Saxon[22]
1923–1926 Ernest Bell
1926–1929 Herr B. O. Dürr[23]
1929–1932 Herr Carl Gumprecht[24]
2004Marly Winckler[25]
IVU Presidents
1932– C. J. van Borrendam[26]
1947–1953 W. A. Sibly[27]
1953–1959 Gloria Maude Gasque[28]
1960–1971 Woodland Kahler[29]
1971–1990 Gordon Latto[30]
Sri Surendra Mehta[31]
1996–1999 Howard Lyman[32]
1999 Maxwell Lee[33]
2000–2002 Kevin Pickard
2002–2008 Tina Fox
2008–2011 George Jacobs[34]
2018–PresentMarly Winckler
IVU Representatives
2019–Rune-Christoffer Dragsdahl - Europe
2022– Rubem da Costa Gomes - Africa
2024–Thao Le - Asia[35]
2024– Shara NG - China
Honorary General Secretaries
1979–1996 Maxwell Lee[36]
1996–1999Francisco Martín [37]

Notable members

Regional groups

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Cultural Encyclopedia of Vegetarianism. ABC-CLIO. 2010. 978-0-313-37557-6. Puskar-Pasewicz. Margaret. Santa Barbara, California. 137.
  2. Web site: IVU Welt-Vegetarier-Kongress 1908. 2020-07-03. International Vegetarian Union.
  3. https://www.ft.com/content/ad13a7dc-312c-11d9-a595-00000e2511c8 Monday 8 UK
  4. Web site: Davis, John. 2012. Why Dresden? The Origins of IVU. International Vegetarian Union. en-GB. November 6, 2024. https://archive.today/20241106223653/https://ivu.org/john-davis/112-why-dresden-the-origins-of-ivu.html. live.
  5. Web site: 2024. 1st World Vegetarian Congress 1908. International Vegetarian Union. en-GB. November 6, 2024. https://archive.today/20241106224105/https://ivu.org/congress/wvc08/danjou.html. live.
  6. Web site: 2024. 1st IVU World Vegetarian Congress 1908. International Vegetarian Union. en-GB. November 6, 2024. https://archive.today/20241106231458/https://ivu.org/congress/wvc08/germany.html. live.
  7. Web site: 2023. IVU Organization. International Vegetarian Union. en-GB.
  8. Web site: Vegetarian Union of North America. 2020-07-03. International Vegetarian Union.
  9. Web site: NAVS Programs. 2020-07-03. North American Vegetarian Society.
  10. Web site: 2024. Ernest Bell (1851-1933). International Vegetarian Union. en-GB. November 6, 2024. https://archive.today/20241106173824/https://ivu.org/members/council/ernest-bell.html. live.
  11. News: Vegetarians' Boots. Daily Express. May 27, 1926. 2.
  12. News: Es-Chewing Meat: Woman Dressed in Vegetarian Fur. Daily News. May 27, 1926. 5.
  13. Hauser, Julia. 2021. Internationalism and Nationalism: Indian Protagonists and Their Political Agendas at the 15th World Vegetarian Congress in India (1957). South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies. 44. 1. 152–166. 10.1080/00856401.2020.1861757. subscription.
  14. Web site: IVU World Vegfest in Australia. 19 May 2015. IVU World VegFest. 23 September 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20160611111622/http://www.worldvegfest.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=367:ivu-world-vegfest-in-australia&catid=21&Itemid=293. 11 June 2016. dead.
  15. Web site: Kamila. Avery Yale. 2020-08-16. Vegan Kitchen: Exactly 45 years ago, Maine hosted a historic 2-week conference for vegetarians. 2020-08-19. Press Herald.
  16. Web site: Davis, John. 2024. Take me to your leader.... International Vegetarian Union. en-GB. November 7, 2024. https://archive.today/20241107174525/https://www.ivu.org/history/ivu/leader.html. live.
  17. Web site: 2025. Marly Winckler. International Vegetarian Union. en-GB. 10 January 2025. https://archive.today/20250110083438/https://ivu.org/ivu-chair-marly-winckler.html. live.
  18. Web site: 2024. Mr. William Axon. International Vegetarian Union. en-GB. November 6, 2024. https://archive.today/20241106220609/https://www.ivu.org/members/council/william-axon.html. live.
  19. Web site: 2024. Dr Huchard. International Vegetarian Union. en-GB. November 6, 2024. https://archive.today/20241106180603/https://ivu.org/members/council/dr-huchard.html. live.
  20. Web site: 2024. 5th World Vegetarian Congress 1923. International Vegetarian Union. en-GB. November 6, 2024. https://archive.today/20241106212206/https://ivu.org/congress/wvc23/index.html. live.
  21. Web site: 2024. Hugo Nolthenius. International Vegetarian Union. en-GB.
  22. Web site: 2024. Mr. Johan Lindstrom-Saxon. International Vegetarian Union. en-GB. November 6, 2024. https://archive.today/20241106182311/https://www.ivu.org/members/council/j-l-saxon.html. live.
  23. Web site: 2024. Herr B. O. Dürr. International Vegetarian Union. en-GB. November 6, 2024. https://archive.today/20241106182813/https://www.ivu.org/members/council/herr-durr.html. live.
  24. Web site: 2024. Herr Carl Gumprecht. International Vegetarian Union. en-GB. November 6, 2024. https://archive.today/20241106180433/https://ivu.org/members/council/carl-gumprecht.html. live.
  25. Web site: 2024. Marly Winkcler. International Vegetarian Union. en-GB. November 6, 2024. https://archive.today/20241106180433/https://ivu.org/marly-winckler.html. live.
  26. Web site: 2024. Mr. C. J. van Borrendam. International Vegetarian Union. en-GB. November 6, 2024. https://archive.today/20241106185033/https://www.ivu.org/members/council/van-borrendam.html. live.
  27. Web site: 2024. Mr. W. A. Sibly. International Vegetarian Union. en-GB. November 6, 2024. https://archive.today/20241106184913/https://www.ivu.org/members/council/w-a-sibly.html. live.
  28. Web site: 2024. Gloria (Maude) Gasque. International Vegetarian Union. en-GB. November 6, 2024. https://archive.today/20241106185922/https://www.ivu.org/members/council/maude-gasque.html. live.
  29. Web site: 2024. Woodland Kahler (1895-1981). International Vegetarian Union. en-GB. November 6, 2024. https://archive.today/20241106190608/https://www.ivu.org/members/council/woodland-kahler.html. live.
  30. Web site: 2024. Dr. Gordon Latto (1911-1998). International Vegetarian Union. en-GB. November 6, 2024. https://archive.today/20241106191117/https://www.ivu.org/members/council/gordon-latto.html. live.
  31. Web site: 2024. Sri Surendra Mehta. International Vegetarian Union. en-GB. November 6, 2024. https://archive.today/20241106191437/https://www.ivu.org/members/council/surendra-mehta.html. live.
  32. Web site: 2024. Howard Lyman. International Vegetarian Union. en-GB. November 6, 2024. https://archive.today/20241106191926/https://www.ivu.org/members/council/howard-lyman.html. live.
  33. Web site: 2024. Maxwell Lee. International Vegetarian Union. en-GB. November 6, 2024. https://archive.today/20241106192222/https://www.ivu.org/members/council/maxwell-lee.html. live.
  34. Web site: 2024. George Jacobs. International Vegetarian Union. en-GB. 10 January 2025. https://archive.today/20250110114506/https://www.ivu.org/members/council/george-jacobs.html. live.
  35. Web site: 2024. International Council. International Vegetarian Union. en-GB. 10 January 2025. https://archive.today/20250110084051/https://ivu.org/international-council.html. live.
  36. Web site: 2024. Maxwell Lee. International Vegetarian Union. en-GB. November 9, 2024. https://archive.today/20241109001112/https://ivu.org/members/council/maxwell-lee.html. live.
  37. Web site: 2024. Francisco Martín. International Vegetarian Union. en-GB. April 24, 2025. https://archive.today/20250424000800/http://www.ivu.org/members/council/francisco-martin.html. live.
  38. https://ivu.org/history/societies/americanvu.html The American Vegetarian Union

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