On May 26, 2024, the “Johoku Volunteer Activity Fair” was held at the Bunkyo Civic Center. VegeProject Japan also participated, and we introduced our activities to the local community.

The event was co-hosted by Voluntary Action Centers from the Johoku area of Tokyo (cities of Bunkyo, Taito, Kita, and Arakawa), and featured booths from 13 non-profit organizations based in these regions, including ours. Voluntary Action Centers are social welfare corporations established by the social welfare councils of each prefecture or designated city to support non-profit activities.

This event provided an opportunity for us to connect with other organizations and citizens in our local community, and to raise awareness of our activities.

People of diverse age groups and backgrounds attended the event, including both individuals interested in volunteer activities as well as members of organizations engaged in social work. At our booth, we prepared content to introduce visitors to vegan choices and our organization’s activities.

For the many unfamiliar with the term “vegan”, we offered an interactive activity where participants could learn about its meaning through a card-flipping activity. We explained how choosing products free of animal ingredients can contribute to animal welfare, environmental sustainability and human health.

After our explanation, we introduced vegan-certified products, focusing on food products available at supermarkets and convenience stores. Some visitors were surprised to learn that products they had already seen were free from animal ingredients, while others were delighted to discover that they could contribute to society by choosing tasty-looking vegan foods.

Visitors to our booth were invited to write their impressions after talking with us on a leaf-shaped paper.

Here are some of their comments:

“There are more vegan ingredients than I had ever thought! I’m going to give it a try!”

“I will be incorporating vegan choices little by little.”

“I learned so many things I was not aware of.”

Having vegan options readily available makes it easier for consumers to become interested in vegan lifestyles and to incorporate these choices into their everyday lives. As these choices accumulate, they can lead to positive changes for the planet, people, and other animals.

At our organization, we will continue to collaborate with businesses, educational institutions, governments, municipalities and other organizations to support the incorporation of these choices into the mainstream.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Voluntary Action Centers of the Johoku area for organizing and running this event, to the other organizations who connected with us, and to the visitors who showed interest in our activities.