North American Vegetarian Society facts for kids
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| Legal status | 501(c) organization |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Dolgeville, New York |
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President, Treasurer
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Sharon Graff |
| Website | navs-online.org |
The North American Vegetarian Society (NAVS) is a helpful organization. It works to support people who are vegetarians. It also teaches everyone about the good things that come from eating a vegetarian diet.
NAVS started in 1974. Its first big job was to organize a large event called the World Vegetarian Congress. This event happened in 1975 in Orono, Maine. Many people say it was a very important moment for the vegetarian movement in the United States during the 1900s.
In 1977, NAVS began an annual event called World Vegetarian Day. The next year, another group, the International Vegetarian Union, joined in. This special day is celebrated every year on October 1st. It also starts a month-long event called Vegetarian Awareness Month. This month ends on November 1st with World Vegan Day.
Vegan Hall of Fame
NAVS created the Vegetarian Hall of Fame in 1990. It is now called the Vegan Hall of Fame. This special hall honors people who have done great things for vegetarianism and veganism. So far, 33 activists have been recognized.
| Name | Known for | Year of award |
|---|---|---|
| Freya Dinshah | American Vegan Society | 1990 |
| H. Jay Dinshah | American Vegan Society | 1990 |
| Helen Nearing | Simple living advocate and vegetarian | 1991 |
| Scott Nearing | Simple living advocate and vegetarian | 1991 |
| Michael Klaper | Physician and author | 1992 |
| George Eisman | Registered dietitian and author | 1993 |
| Paul Obis | Founder and editor of Vegetarian Times | 1994 |
| Mahatma Gandhi | Indian independence advocate and vegetarian | 1995 |
| Alex Hershaft | Co-founder and president of Farm Animal Rights Movement | 1998 |
| Howard Lyman | Livestock farmer turned vegan, a vegan and animal rights activist | 2002 |
| Richard H. Schwartz | Professor of mathematics, president of Jewish Veg | 2005 |
| T. Colin Campbell | Professor of nutritional biochemistry and advocate of a plant-based diet | 2006 |
| Brenda Davis | Registered dietitian and author | 2007 |
| Joanne Stepaniak | Author of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks | 2008 |
| Caldwell Esselstyn | Cardiologist, Olympic gold medalist, vegan | 2010 |
| Neal D. Barnard | Founding president of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine | 2011 |
| Hans Diehl | Physician and plant-based nutrition author | 2015 |
| Miyoko Schinner | Founder of vegan cheese producer Miyoko's Creamery | 2016 |
| Michael Greger | Physician and plant-based nutrition author | 2019 |
| Kim A. Williams Sr., MD | Vegan cardiologist who promotes plant-based eating for better heart health. | 2023 |
| Victoria Moran | Founder of Main Street Vegan Academy. | 2024 |
| TBD | 2025 |
NAVS Vegan Summerfest
Since 1974, NAVS has hosted a yearly summer conference. This event used to last for 9 to 10 days. It was often held on a college campus, usually in Pennsylvania.
The name of this summer conference changed over time. It became the NAVS Vegetarian Summerfest. All the meals served at this event were vegan. In 2019, the name changed again to NAVS Vegan Summerfest.
This event now lasts for five days. During the Summerfest, the new member for the Vegan Hall of Fame is announced and celebrated. The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown in Johnstown, Pennsylvania is a very common place for the Summerfest. In 1996, the World Vegetarian Congress was held at the same time as the NAVS Vegetarian Summerfest in Johnstown. Three international vegetarian conferences have happened alongside the NAVS Vegan Summerfests.
See also
- American Vegan Society
- List of vegetarian and vegan organizations
References
