- 81 Million+ pledge & support International Meatless Day
- 5,158 people turn vegetarian for life
- Reverence for all life is the first step to world peace – says Dada J.P. Vaswani
The International Meatless Day received a tumultuous, heartening and encouraging response from all over the world. Pledges were received from remote countries ranging from Brazil to Casablanca, from China to Chili. Slaughter houses remained closed in many parts of the country. Several places in India and abroad heralded Meatless Day through Peace Marches and Rallies; Food festivals, Workshops, Painting competitions, many restaurants served vegetarian food on that day. Various Television channels created awakening among the people to observe Meatless Day just for one day. The United Association of Isna Ashari Iranians, with the Imambara Haji Mohammed Javed Isphani, announced that on 25th November, in honour of the 137th birth anniversary of Rev. Sadhu Vaswani, their community would go vegetarian.
Free Medical Camps were organised for animals throughout the month of November were held. Free mouth and foot vaccinations for animals were also provided in villages.
A South East Asian Vegetarian Congress was held in Penang. The Penang State Minister for Welfare and Country and Social Care, Phee Boon Poh, pledged to be vegetarian.
The total number of pledges received which included supporters was 81,297,254. In addition, 5158 people turned vegetarian for life.
Dada J. P. Vaswani, who started this campaign in 1986 said that the conscience of humanity needs to be awakened on the cruelties perpetrated on animals. Reverence for all life is the first step to world peace, he proclaimed. Until we regard all life as sacred, wars will not vanish from the face of the earth. The SAK (Stop All Killing) Association aims at giving animals their rights, the very first one being the right to live.
The Meatless Day will one day evolve into a huge, roaring wave which in its wake will surely wipe out the desire to slaughter animals just to eat them!
