What day is it?

According to the way of eating, all people are divided into two opposing camps – meat eaters and vegetarians. For the latter, the consumption of meat of any animal is unacceptable, and according to statistics, this philosophy is practiced by every tenth person in the world. Vegetarians believe that plant-based foods are better for health and the environment, and in some cultures vegetarianism is an integral part of religion. The concept of vegetarianism is also supported by animal rights activists, because it preserves the lives of animals. To popularize the vegetarian diet and draw people’s attention to the ethical and practical advantages of this way of life, a special event is celebrated at the international level every year on October 1 — World Vegetarian Day.

How did the idea to celebrate World Vegetarian Day come about?

Vegetarianism is not a new phenomenon at all, its principles existed in many ancient cultures. A similar ideology is known to have been practiced by some religious groups in Ancient Egypt as early as 3000 BC, with abstinence from eating meat and clothing made from animal skins based on karmic beliefs in reincarnation.

The kinship of animals with people is Pythagoras

The ancient Greek scientist Pythagoras believed that animals are related to people, and therefore the thinker considered it wrong to treat them cruelly and kill them for meat. Other famous people of antiquity were supporters of a plant-based diet, among them the philosopher and scientist Theophrastus, a student of Aristotle.

In the Roman Empire, which was famous for its cruel customs, many animals were killed by gladiators just for the sake of spectacle. However, even in Rome in the period from the 3rd to the 6th century, the idea of ​​vegetarianism gradually began to spread, mainly thanks to the philosophical treatises of Plutarch and Apollonius of Tyana.

In Asia, the refusal to eat meat was a central element in religious beliefs – Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Brahmanism and Jainism. Vegetarianism is mentioned in the ancient Indian texts “Upanishads” and “Rigveda”, while it is explained by the principle of non-violence and respect for all forms of life.

Vegetarian philosophy has a decisive position in Buddhism, which is the embodiment of mercy to all living beings.

• It is interesting that Buddha and Pythagoras were almost contemporaries, so it is likely that the Greek thinker formulated his idea precisely under the influence of Indian teachings.

The times of early Christianity

Instead, early Christianity preached the supremacy of man over all living things, but some unorthodox currents still opposed the killing of animals. The official church considered the followers of such non-violent ideas to be heretics – they were persecuted and burned alive. Famous vegetarians of the Middle Ages who managed to avoid death at the stake include St. David, the patron saint of Wales, as well as St. Francis of Assisi.

During the Renaissance and Enlightenment in Europe, Pythagoras’ idea of ​​compassion for animals and the rejection of meat became popular again, besides, with the conquest of new lands, Europeans received new vegetables – potatoes, tomatoes, corn, which significantly diversified the diet. Leonardo da Vinci openly opposed meat-eating, other scientists and humanists of that time also condemned cruelty to animals, in particular, Erasmus of Rotterdam, Michel de Montaigne, Thomas More.

The first vegetarian society

In the 19th century, the first vegetarian society appeared in Great Britain. In the 1880s, there were already several vegetarian restaurants in London that offered cheap and tasty plant-based meals. Vegetarian communities were also formed in the USA. The famous preacher of this movement was John Harvey Kellogg, who invented “breakfasts”. The history of vegetarianism is impossible without mentioning Mahatma Gandhi, who wrote a lot on this topic and considered non-violence the only possible principle not only in food, but also in politics.

North American Vegetarian Society

In the 50s and 70s of the 20th century, people became more and more concerned about the rights of animals and their living conditions on farms – this was facilitated by the penetration of the teachings of Buddhism into the Western culture. In 1974, vegetarians in the USA founded the North American Vegetarian Society, and it was thanks to the initiative of this organization that World Vegetarian Day appeared in 1977. The very next year, the event was supported by the International Vegetarian Union, and since then it has been celebrated in various countries around the world.

In the 1980s and 1990s, when the catastrophic consequences of human domination on Earth became evident, vegetarianism received a new powerful impulse. Environmental issues dominated the headlines and were at the forefront of politics for a while, so vegetarianism became part of the process of preserving natural resources.

At the same time, scientific debates continued about whether vegetarian food can provide the human body with all the necessary elements. For a long time, it was believed that without meat, people would suffer from a lack of protein, but numerous studies have disproved this. Later, scientists became concerned about the possible deficiency of vitamin B in vegetarians₁₂therefore, in many countries, vegetarian products, for example, yogurt or soy milk, are specially enriched with this vitamin.

At the beginning of the 21st century, vegetarian restaurants have become a common phenomenon in most countries of the world, and entire industries are working for the production of vegetarian and vegan products. Vegetarian societies publish recipes and information about the health and environmental benefits of their philosophy, as well as the moral benefits of a plant-based diet.

World Vegetarian Day in history

• 1847

  The world’s first vegetarian society was founded in Great Britain.
• 1908

  The Kyiv Vegetarian Society was created, which marked the beginning of the vegetarian movement on the territory of Ukraine.
• 1972

  The North American Vegetarian Society was founded in the USA.
• 1975

  Australian Peter Singer’s resonant book “Animal Liberation” was published, which started the movement against animal experiments and industrial animal husbandry.
• 1977

  The North American Vegetarian Society started World Vegetarian Day.
• 1978

  The World Vegetarian Day was recognized by the International Vegetarian Union, which meant that the event became an international event.

Frequent Questions and answers about World Vegetarian Day

How to celebrate World Vegetarian Day?

Events dedicated to this event begin on October 1st, but continue beyond – throughout the month, until November 1st, when World Vegan Day is celebrated. So you can choose a convenient time to visit seminars, conferences and master classes held in different countries and aimed at popularizing vegetarianism. But you can also get new knowledge online — the Internet also has a lot of educational content on this topic. Especially interesting facts should be shared with friends and acquaintances.

For all vegetarians, October 1 is a great opportunity to celebrate your choice and congratulate each other on the holiday. As for the rest of the people, it is natural that not everyone is ready to give up meat forever, but at least one day a year should be consciously excluded from the diet. It will allow many people to change their prejudiced attitude towards vegetarian dishes and understand how tasty and nutritious they can be, not to mention the health benefits. You can try to cook something new at home, or visit a restaurant, because now the menu of most establishments has dishes for vegetarians.

On World Vegetarian Day, it is appropriate to shop at the nearest farmer’s market, because that is where you can find fresh and environmentally friendly products. In addition, considering the harvest time of autumn, there will be no problems with choosing the best seasonal vegetables and fruits.

Why is this day important?

A vegetarian diet is beneficial for human health, because it involves the consumption of a large amount of substances necessary for the body, such as fiber, vitamins C and E, magnesium, folic acid, and unsaturated fats. Such a diet helps lower cholesterol, reduces the risk of heart disease, normalizes blood pressure and body weight.

As for Ukrainians, historians claim that 80% of our national cuisine consists of vegetarian products, so vegetarianism is quite a natural phenomenon for us – it is worth remembering the traditional fasts of long ago, during which only light dishes were prepared.

But vegetarianism is not only useful for people – it benefits the entire environment. Avoiding meat not only saves animals’ lives, but also helps save fossil fuels, because if you compare the amount of energy needed to produce beef and soybeans, it turns out that meat production requires 78 times more energy. Therefore, the cultivation of vegetables and cereals is much more efficient and at the same time resists rapid climate changes on the planet.

And vegetarianism in general contributes to a healthy and active lifestyle, because the overwhelming majority of plant-based dieters also do not drink coffee, alcohol, smoke, and regularly exercise. In addition, they are more often than others interested in new developments in the field of healthy nutrition, environmental research and animal protection issues.

When will we celebrate World Vegetarian Day?