World Vegetarian Day facts for kids

World Vegetarian Day is a special day celebrated every year on October 1st. It's a time for people around the world to learn about and enjoy vegetarianism. This day was started in 1977 by the North American Vegetarian Society. The International Vegetarian Union supported it in 1978.

The main goal of World Vegetarian Day is to show the good things about eating vegetarian. This includes being kind to animals, helping the environment, and improving your health. It also reminds us of the many benefits for people and the planet. World Vegetarian Day kicks off October as "Vegetarian Awareness Month." This month of celebration ends on November 1st, which is World Vegan Day.

Special Days for Vegetarians

Many other important days are celebrated around Vegetarian Awareness Month. These days help spread the word about vegetarian living.

September Celebrations

• National Fruits & Veggies Month: All of September is a time to celebrate eating more fruits and vegetables.
• September 29: This is World Heart Day. It reminds us how healthy eating, like vegetarian meals, can help our hearts.

October Celebrations

• October 1: This is World Vegetarian Day! It's the start of a month focused on vegetarian awareness.
• October 2: This day is World Farm Animals Day. It honors animals raised for food. It is also the birthday of Mohandas K. Gandhi, a famous vegetarian.
• October 4: This day is World Animal Day. It's also the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, who loved animals.
• October 1–7: This is International Vegetarian Week. During this week, many events happen to teach people about the vegetarian lifestyle.

November Celebrations

• November 1: This is International Vegan Day, also known as World Vegan Day. It celebrates the creation of The Vegan Society.
• All of November: This month is often called Vegan Awareness Month or World Vegan Month.

Other Global Vegetarian Days

There are other days around the world that promote vegetarian eating.

Meat-Free Campaigns

• March 20: This is the Great American Meatout. It's a day when people are encouraged to try eating no meat.
• World Meat Free Day: This day encourages people to think about how eating less meat can help the planet and their health.

International Vegetarian Day

• November 25: This is International Vegetarian Day, also called SAK Meatless Day. It celebrates the birthday of Sadhu T. L. Vaswani. This day is very popular in India and other Asian countries.

Meatless Monday

Meatless Monday is a worldwide effort that asks people to skip meat every Monday. This simple step can make a big difference. Not eating meat one day a week can help you stay healthy. It can also greatly reduce harm to the environment from meat production. Meatless Monday offers recipes, tips, and news to help people eat less meat. It is part of the Healthy Monday program.

Visuals and Symbols

There isn't one official picture or logo for World Vegetarian Day. Different groups use their own designs to celebrate. Other special days during Vegetarian Awareness Month might have their own unique logos.

Vegetarian Practices in China

Some Chinese people often eat vegetarian meals twice a month. This happens on the first and 15th days of the lunar month. The 15th day is when the moon is full. Vegetarian restaurants are usually very busy on these two days. This practice is often connected to religious beliefs.

Nine Emperor Gods Festival

The Nine Emperor Gods Festival is also known as the Vegetarian Festival. It is a nine-day celebration for people who follow Taoist beliefs. It starts on the eve of the ninth lunar month. This festival is mostly celebrated in Southeast Asian countries. These include Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand. This festival often happens around the same time as World Vegetarian Day.

See also

• International Vegetarian Week
• List of food days
• List of vegetarian festivals
• List of vegetarian organizations
• Meat-free days
• Vegan school meal
• Veganuary
• World Vegan Day