Autumn 2019
United Nations Ambassador Ambroisine Kpongo of Central African Republic agreed to initiate a United Nations Convention Against Speciesism at a meeting with Vegan International Founder, Sharon Wallenberg, in New York on Wednesday, October 9, 2019. Ambassador Kpongo has suggested contacting other African Nations using her name to gather additional support for the U N Convention Against Speciesism.
In a meeting with Ambassador Franck Kpayedo from Togo, Ms. Wallenberg mentioned Free From Harm’s ‘Slaughter Free Chicago’ initiative. After some confusion, Ambassador Kpayedo’s translator said that they don’t know what a ‘slaughterhouse’ is. When told it is where animals go to be murdered and made into food, both men were visibly shaken. Ambassador Kpayedo said through his Translator: “Destroying anything: even a plant or a leaf, contributes to the destruction of the entire planet”. They are in favor of a UN Convention Against Speciesism.
Ambassador Abdoulaye Barro and Minister Saliou Dieng from Senegal expressed concern about working animals and the UN Convention Against Speciesism at a meeting with Ms. Wallenberg, Vegan International Founder. Senegal is 70% rural. Many of these people have never seen a car. They depend on their working animals to provide economic support. These people would gladly transition to sustainable energy solutions, but they are unable to afford it. Unfortunately, Senegal failed to meet their economic projections. These working animals and their people would not be negatively affected by a UN Convention Against Speciesism. Ideally, a philanthropist will provide sustainable energy solutions to working animals, but this has not happened yet. Minister Dieng said Senegal is Vegan International’s Partner
Minister Fritzner Gaspard from Haiti suggested that Vegan International form a Caribbean coalition to support the U N Convention Against Speciesism. These developing nations are at risk of incurring diet related disease, and skyrocketing health care costs, as they develop, potentially transitioning from their traditional plant-based diet to the unsustainable meat and dairy based diet. Additionally, these islands are vulnerable to rising water from global warming making the UN Convention Against Speciesism an attractive solution.
South African First Secretary Diyana Tayobd was ‘very keen’ to meet with Ms. Wallenberg on Tuesday, October 8, 2019. South Africa wants to present statistics to the UN Second Committee on the relationship between Animal Agriculture (methane) and Climate Change. They need numbers, not words. Climate Change causes are being taken very seriously by South Africa.
In all, there were a total of ten Ambassadors, Deputies, Ministers, and others who met with Vegan International Founder, Sharon Wallenberg, from Tuesday, October 8 to Friday, October 11, to discuss the UN Convention Against Speciesism. Two Ambassadors were unable to schedule a meeting for this visit. They will be met with next time.
Additionally, Ms. Wallenberg represented Vegan International at the Anniversary of the United Nations Day of Older Persons Conference on Thursday, October 10, 2019. Krishna Gautam, new V I International Advisory Board member, was the Keynote Speaker. Mr. Gautam is the Founder of Aging Nepal, which teaches illiterate Grandmothers to read and write. These Grandmothers were not given the opportunity to go to school as girls. Education for girls was not allowed then. Although school for girls is now accepted in Nepal, no provisions were made for the previous illiterate generation until Krishna Gautam founded Aging Nepal. Mr. Gautam has also started a “No Kill Zone’ in Kathmandu. According to Aging Nepal Founder, Krishna Gautam, ‘There are many bodies: people, animals, and insects – but only one life.’
Mr. Gautam also maintains that he would have been sleeping on the streets of New York if not for Sharon, who came to his rescue when he arrived from Kathmandu. There was a problem at his hotel due to an oversight by the UN NGO Committee on Aging who was hosting Mr. Gautam. Fortunately, between Krishna and Sharon, they straightened it out that evening, and the next morning the UN NGO Committee on Aging members arrived.
Vegan International participated in the Anniversary of the UN Day of Older Persons Conference first with a proposed side event called “Healthy Aging”. This had three parts: Diet, Exercise, and Health Care. ‘Health Care’ was to be presented by Vegan Cardiologist, Robert Ostfeld, MD. ‘Exercise’ was to be presented by Mindy Collette, Vegan Bodybuilder, and friend of VI Advisory Board Member, Robert Cheeke. ‘Diet’ was to be presented by a Registered Dietitian from Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine arranged by Founder and VI Advisory Board Member, Neal Barnard, MD.
Unfortunately, the UN NGO Committee on Aging cancelled side events. They later asked for written statements. Vegan International submitted one entitled ‘Healthy Aging’ written by VI Advisory Board Member Neal Barnard, MD, VI Contributor T. Colin Campbell, MD, and VI International Advisory Board Member Nandita Shaw, MD.
Krishna Gautam and Victor Fodeke, Sustainable Energy Expert from Nigeria, and long-time friend of Vegan International Founder Sharon Wallenberg, have both joined VI’s International Advisory Board. The United Nations takes the word ‘International’ in Vegan International very seriously. Victor and Krishna both have a long list of accomplishments which will be added to VI’s website.
Krishna Murari Gautam is the Founder and Chairperson of Aging Nepal, a United Nations ECOSOC Non-Governmental Organization. Born on Nepal, Mr. Gautam has a Masters in Economics, with specialization in Natural Resource Economics, from the University of New England, Armidale, N.S.W. Australia. He has a B.Sc. in Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, from Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India.
Mr. Gautam has over 30 years’ experience in the field of water management, irrigation, and socio-economic aspects of rural development projects in India, Nepal, and China. This includes Hill Area Land and Water Development Project funded by USAID-India as a Water User Association Expert; the Irrigation Line of Credit Farmer Organization in Nepal as a Development Coordinator; Yangtze Integrated Water Resources Development Project/World Bank as an Advisor; USAID/Irrigation Management Project, Nepal as a Consultant; the Agriculture Project Service Center, Nepal as a Senior Economist; and Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Nepal as a Lecturer.
According to Mr. Gautam, ‘There are many bodies – human, animal, insect – but one life.” He has created a ‘No Kill Zone’ in Kathmandu.
Victor Fodeke, Ph.D. is the Group Managing Director of Tellco Europe Nigeria, a sustainable energy project. He is the former Technical Advisor on Climate Change for the African Union Commission, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Victor was appointed as the Director General of the African Clean Energy Summit and African Climate Solutions Centre. He was Technical Advisor for the African Union Commission, and he is a Fulbright Exchange Fellow. His areas of specialization are Environmental Security, Climate Change, Water Quality, and Marine Environmental Protection, among others.
Victor is compassionate to all, and especially sensitive to the plight of the voiceless. His Social Media presence is called ‘Voicelessones’.
Vegan International will continue to be an active voice at the United Nations, as well as to continue to make the United Nations Convention Against Speciesism a reality. This will be an internationally recognized legal document affirming that all species have rights.
Thank you for your support.
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