From July 27-30, 2023, VegeProject Japan was honored to attend the Animal & Vegan Advocacy (AVA) Summit, an important international event in the field of vegan advocacy.
AVA Summit 2023 Kick-Off
Engaging in this summit, we gained insights into vegan movements and plant-based food trends. Moreover, we deepened ties with global organizations. Also, during the event, the news site Plant Based News covered our work and featured us in an interview.
On July 30, VegeProject presented performed a joint seminar with Thailand’s Sinergia Animal, titled “Institutional Advocacy in Asia.” In her talk, representative Haruko Kawano showcased VegeProject’s activities and achievements in Japan, providing deep insight into the cultural backgrounds and market dynamics that shape our contributions. This session, expertly moderated by PETA’s Vice-President, fostered a lively Q&A segment with in-depth discussions.
Among the audience were notable figures such as Bruce Friedrich, the head of the Good Food Institute, and filmmaker and influencer Ryuji Chua. With such esteemed leaders addressing global food challenges present, we had the opportunity to share our insights into global issues and proposed solutions.
Following our presentation, a session named “Movement Building in Asia” unfolded. Representatives from Pakistan’s Center for Animal Law Studies and China Vegan Society shared their perspectives.
The AVA Summit this year saw over 800 participants, predominantly from vegan-related organizational leadership. In the West, there’s significant involvement in alternative meat R&D, vegan market research, and outreach to businesses and governments. Many such entities attended the summit, sharing success stories. In Western nations, vegan options are widely available in supermarkets, restaurants, hospitals, and schools, largely thanks to their initiatives.
Asia, until now, often remained overlooked in the global vegan movement. Hence, the participation and presentations of Asian entities at the AVA Summit play an important role in highlighting their efforts and future possibilities. We’re profoundly grateful for the invitation as Japan’s representative, allowing us to engage and exchange views with international entities. We remain committed to leveraging these experiences to further vegan options in Japan.