(CN) CAPN Report of Events of 2008 International Meatless Day

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Dear Friend,

 

Please download our English report for our events of 2008 International

Meatless Day (25 Nov 2008)

 

full document

http://www.capn.ngo.cn/IMD2008China_en.doc

 

Excerpts from the document (images are not included)

 

2008 International Meatless Day (IMD)

April 2009

 

In celebration of the 2008 International Meatless Day (IMD), Chinese Animal

Protection Network organized a series of events around November 25 in China. We

are delighted to present the detail of the events and wish to share the

experiences with all people concerning the animal rights movement in China. [1]

Background

While many people understanding the needs of protection of companion animals,

less optimal treatment and concern has been given to farm animals. Excessive

meat consumption around world has not only undermined the rights of farm

animals, but also became a major source of environmental destruction [2].

International Meatless Day is November 25 of each year, with the main purpose

of popularizing vegetarian diet instead of animal diet based on the care for

animals. On this day, people around the world who are not a vegetarian are

encouraged to try vegetarian diet, or converts to a vegetarian. Vegetarianism

was always a concern of our organization. We set up a webpage on one of our

online project PovChina (http://www.PovChina.ngo.cn) for IMD. The main slogan

for our series events were ¡°Environmental Protection, Compassion, Health - One

Day without Meat, Enjoy Life Together¡±.

Methods

Our preparation for the IMD (25th November) starts nearly 1 year before 25th of

November 2008. We published a comprehensive article of IMD [4], we designed two

computer games and compiled an educational booklet. We also released an open

letter for the series events. In the letter we:

1) demonstrate the significance of IMD events and Vegetarianism;

2) introduce the history of IMD [4] ;

3) release the two computer games, IMD puzzle (url

http://www.povchina.ngo.cn/puzzle) and the Meat Eraser (url

http://www.povchina.ngo.cn/emc);

4) introduce our educational booklet for 2008 IMD ¡°Vegan Health Guide¡± (url

http://www.povchina.ngo.cn/vhg) and provide free copies;

5) call people around the nation join us to celebrity the IMD.

6) offer funds and other support to encourage groups and individuals for

related actives and events

 

Screen cut of computer game No.1: IMD Puzzle

 

 

Screencut of the opening scene of computer game No.2: Meat Eraser.

The Chinese on the board reads: Eating vegetables for gaining strength to clear

the meat evil, below are some other scenes of the game.

 

 

 

 

The above are main characters/symbols of the game

& #8226; The first row are Monsters, they are different types of meat products

& #8226; The second row are Rewards, they are different types of vegetables or

vegetarian food

 

 

The above are the cover of the educational booklet, Vegan Health Guide. Main

messages of the booklets are:

& #8226; Vegetarian diets do not cause malnutrition, which is very commonly

misunderstood by the public

& #8226; Introduction of the vegetarian diet

& #8226; How to keep health when you are on an vegan diet

Result

The open letter it is circulated over Internet by our supporters [3]. Meat

Eraser is the first educational game in China focus both on environmental

protection and animal protection. After completing the design of the Meat

Eraser, we contacted environmental/animal groups to invite them became jointly

releaser of the game, seven groups endorsed our message and became the joint

releaser of the game. Those groups are:

Green-Stone (Green Stone City) (Http://www.Green-Stone.Org ), Green Friend

Association, Home of Gansu Green Volunteers, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Environmental Protection (www.Qtpep.Com ), Daba Mountain Research Association

for Ecology and Poverty Reduction (Http://www.83zpss.Com ), Gansu " Green Camel

Bell " Environment and Development Centre (Http://www.gcb.ngo.cn ).

Those groups expressed their support and congratulation to this flash game,

they affirmed the significance of Evil Meat Cleaner, considered it as an

innovative mode of publicity, which units the education of environmental

protection, animal protection and entertainment.

Supporters of our IMD events in China requested the educational booklet ¡°Vegan

Health Guide¡± and distributed them locally. Despite of direct downloading of

the booklet from our event webpage, by March 2009, more than 9990 printed

copies educational booklet have been sent to following places and groups in

different parts of China:

& #61550; Places:

Baoji, Beijing, Chengdu, Guangxi Nanning, Guangzhou, Guangzhou Haizhuqu,

Guiyang, Haizhu, Hangzhou, Luoyang, Wuhan, Jinzhong, Kunming, Lanzhou, Linyi,

Luzhou, Lvliang, Nanjing, Nanning, Ningbo, Qinhuangdao, Xiamen, Shanwei,

Shangluo, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Taiyuan, Xinyu, Yuanyangxian, Zhangjiagang,

Changchun, Chongqing¡­

& #61550; Groups:

Xiamen Animal Protection Association, Nanjing Cats Club, LUCKYCATS, Wuhan Stray

Pet Shelter, Pinganafu, Beijing Foreign Studies University Vegetarian Culture

Society, Chongqing Volunteer Team for Elderly and Disabled People, Vegetarian

Society of Zhongshan University, Yuyufang Diet Company, Jin Qing Share of

Environmental Protection, Green Taihang Mountains, Volunteers Association of

Environmental Protection of Xinyu College, GREENLAND, Ningbo Free Animal Group,

Nanjing Buddhist Chapel, Guang Xi Green Alliance, Shennuoya Volunteer Group,

Green Organization of Huanan Commerce University, The Flower Association, DON'T

EAT FRIENDS, Volunteers Association Of Shanxi Shang Luo, Vegetarian Union of

Northeast Normal University, Jiyanghong Elderly Home, Quality Control

Department of Shanwei, Chinese Vegetarian Union (CVU), Social Science

Department of Enviromental Management College of China, Zhangjiagang Xieshen

Motor Company, Huanbao65 Charity Group, Beijing Yunweiyouxiang Diet Company,

Earth Protector Association of China Academy of Art, Lotus-Vegetarian

Restaurant, Kunming WUMO Cultural Communications Co., Ltd, Northwest Normal

University, Association of Town Officials With University Education for Career

Development of Shanxi Lvliang, Vegetarian Society of Jilin University¡­

 

We later surveyed people who requested the booklet. Among the returned

questionnaires, 93% of organizations and individuals express the satisfaction

at the quality of our educational booklet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The above photo was the distribution of the educational booklet by Society for

the Protection of Animals (Xiamen) on a local event.

Acknowledgments

We thank Compassion for Animals Foundation for the funding of printing of

educational booklets and cost associated with the production of computer games;

we thank everyone who has taken part in the events.

Endnote

[1] Homepage of our 2008 IMD events:

http://www.povchina.ngo.cn/index.htm?/imd/index

[2] http://www.farmsanctuary.org/mediacenter/2009/pr_earthday09.html

[3] Chinese result of IMD in Google and Baidu (a popular Chinese search engine)

Google result:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en & rls=com.microsoft%3Aen-US & newwindow=1 & q=%E4%B\

8%96%E7%95%8C%E6%97%A0%E8%82%89%E6%97%A5+povchina

Baidu result: http://www.baidu.com/s?wd=%CA%C0%BD%E7%CE%DE%C8%E2%C8%D5+povchina

[4]

http://appedia.arc.ngo.cn/pmwiki.php?n=%e7%9f%a5%e8%af%86%e5%ba%93.%e4%b8%96%e7%\

95%8c%e6%97%a0%e8%82%89%e6%97%a5

 

 

 

IMD events team

Chinese Animal Protection Network

http://www.capn.ngo.cn