--- title: "World Vegetarian Congress - An independent news report - IVU - International Vegetarian Union" description: "World Vegetarian Congress - An independent news report: International Vegetarian Union (IVU) 33rd World Vegetarian Congress Chiang Mai, Thailand, January 4 - 10, 1999 'Vegetarianism is the Way' an unforgettable visual, cultural and gastronomic experience Vegetarians Plan Carnivore Converts An" url: "https://ivu.org/international-vegetarian-union/resources/interviews/3732-congress-thai99-reports-news-report.html" date: "2026-11-06T00:22:52+00:00" language: "en-GB" --- # World Vegetarian Congress - An independent news report **International Vegetarian Union (IVU)** | ![IVU logo](https://ivu.org/images/legacy/history/members/pics/ivu-con4.gif) | | |---|---| | ![Congress Logo](https://ivu.org/images/legacy/history/congress/thai99/pics/logo99.gif) **33rd World Vegetarian Congress** Chiang Mai, Thailand, January 4 - 10, 1999 *'Vegetarianism is the Way'* an unforgettable visual, cultural and gastronomic experience Vegetarians Plan Carnivore Converts An independent news report .c The Associated Press By DENIS D. GRAY CHIANG MAI, Thailand (AP) -- Vegetarians from around the world pledged Sunday to convert millions of meat-eaters by the end of the century and launched an Asian Vegetarian Union. The Bangkok-based Asian group seeks to foster the still-fledgling vegetarian movements in many Asian countries and counter a trend among the continent's youth to ape Western carnivorous habits. More than 400 participants from 30 countries at the 33rd World Vegetarian Congress concluding Sunday called on vegetarian groups all over the world to invite people to give up meat for the new millennium. A mass pledge-taking ceremony is planned at midnight, Dec. 31. The congress set a goal of converting at least 5 percent of then population in areas where vegetarian societies exist. ``Apart from being a matter of compassion, it is in humankind's interest to adopt a vegetarian diet if we are to avoid starvation, disease, pollution and ecological damage on a vast scale,'' said one congress official, Nitin Mehta. Delegates to the meeting of the 110-year-old International Vegetarian Union included doctors, nutrition experts, Indian religious gurus, Western stock brokers and animal-rights activists. Discussions ranged from the latest studies on ways to treat AIDS with herbs and a plant-based diet to how the meat industry continues to deplete water supplies and convert forest areas into grazing lands. ``We still live in a non-vegetarian world. In a way, vegetarians are aliens, like Martians,'' said Maxwell G. Lee, the union's deputy president, a vegetarian since the age of 12. Lee and others agreed that vegetarianism has grown rapidly in North America and Europe, with most converts giving up meat for health rather than ethical or environmental reasons. But affluence and the copying of mainstream Western ways have increased meat consumption in Asia, especially among the young. Delegates from China, India and Japan, where a long tradition of vegetarianism exists, said ways have to be found to counter the trend. The Asian Vegetarian Union selected an ad hoc committee to draw up a constitution and organize the first congress in two years' time. The next congress of the International Vegetarian Union is scheduled for 2000 in Toronto, Canada. A note on this archive. The history section of this website is drawn from a body of legacy content originally compiled by John Davis, former manager of the International Vegetarian Union. It represents his curation of historical material, and in places includes passages written by him directly. Over the years, the IVU website has migrated between several different hosting servers. In the course of these migrations, a number of PDF files were unfortunately lost, and **some links to PDF documents may no longer function**. Where this is the case, we have chosen to leave the original link text in place, as it may itself carry information of historical value. - Hits: 1137 ### Vegan Recipes - [![Kara'a (Libyan Pumpkin Dip)](https://ivu.org/media/zoo/images/kara-a--libyan-pumpkin-dip--1775517202_c93f8301175398ebe7191c927f0e9d00.jpg "Kara'a (Libyan Pumpkin Dip)")](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/item/karaa-libyan-pumpkin-dip.html "Kara'a (Libyan Pumpkin Dip)") #### [Kara'a (Libyan Pumpkin Dip)](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/item/karaa-libyan-pumpkin-dip.html "Kara'a (Libyan Pumpkin Dip)") [Libya](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/category/libya.html) [Soups](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/category/soup.html) [Starters & side dishes](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/category/snack-side-dishes.html) [African](https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy/front-page/category/african.html) - 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[ pdf ](https://ivu.org/nutrition/nutrition-articles/health-nutrition/250-2024-the-omniveg-study-health-outcomes-of-shifting-from-a-traditional-to-a-vegan-mediterranean-diet-in-healthy-men-a-controlled-crossover-trial.html) [ 2024 The OMNIVEG STUDY Health outcomes of shifting from a traditional to a vegan Mediterranean diet in healthy men A controlled crossover trial](https://ivu.org/nutrition/nutrition-articles/health-nutrition/250-2024-the-omniveg-study-health-outcomes-of-shifting-from-a-traditional-to-a-vegan-mediterranean-diet-in-healthy-men-a-controlled-crossover-trial.html) Popular 2782 downloads - [ pdf ](https://ivu.org/nutrition/nutrition-articles/health-nutrition/205-plant-based-nutrition-exploring-health-benefits-for-atherosclerosis-chronic-diseases-and-metabolic-syndrome-a-comprehensive-review.html) [ Plant Based Nutrition Exploring Health Benefits for Atherosclerosis, Chronic Diseases, and Metabolic Syndrome—A Comprehensive Review](https://ivu.org/nutrition/nutrition-articles/health-nutrition/205-plant-based-nutrition-exploring-health-benefits-for-atherosclerosis-chronic-diseases-and-metabolic-syndrome-a-comprehensive-review.html) Popular 3834 downloads - [ pdf ](https://ivu.org/nutrition/nutrition-articles/health-nutrition/204-2024-plant-and-animal-fat-intake-and-overall-and-cardiovascular-disease-mortality-main-folder-all-cause-mortality.html) [ 2024 Plant and Animal Fat Intake and Overall and Cardiovascular Disease Mortality Main Folder All Cause Mortality](https://ivu.org/nutrition/nutrition-articles/health-nutrition/204-2024-plant-and-animal-fat-intake-and-overall-and-cardiovascular-disease-mortality-main-folder-all-cause-mortality.html) Popular 4052 downloads ![](https://ivu.org/media/yootheme/cache/02/adult-guide-029d8cad.png)### The International Vegetarian Union’s Vegan Nutrition Guide for Adults In 2 versions: - [For healthcare professionals](https://ivu.org/nutrition/nutritional-guide/the-international-vegetarian-union-s-vegan-nutrition-guide-for-adults-healthcare-professionals.html) - [General Public Edition](https://ivu.org/nutrition/nutritional-guide/guide-for-non-healthcare-professionals.html) [Get it now](https://ivu.org/nutrition/nutritional-guide.html) ![](https://ivu.org/images/banners/booklet2.jpg)### Vegetarian Nutrition Booklet A Dietary Approach to Vegetarianism for Kids and Adolescents The intention of this booklet is present to kids and adolescents a healthy vegan diet [Read more](https://ivu.org/nutrition/vegetarian-nutrition-book-for-kids-and-adolescents.html) Vegan Nutrition ![](https://ivu.org/media/yootheme/cache/a6/logo_IVU_01_SLOGAN-a678b962.png) ### Presidents, Chair and Council - 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