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What’s thought to be the UK’s first all-vegan animal rights conference is taking place later this month.
The inaugural Vegan Animal Rights Conference (VARC) combines workshops and panels led by industry experts with networking opportunities and information on impactful advocacy. Taking place over two days, VARC has over 43 different sessions in total.
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The event aims to unify and energize the vegan and animal rights movement by connecting activists of all kinds and fostering a sense of “shared purpose” through talks and activities.
The organizers say that VARC “promises to be an inspiring gathering, aiming to ignite new initiatives, strengthen ongoing efforts, and enhance the sense of community among advocates for animal rights and veganism in the UK.”
Speaking to Plant Based News (PBN) VARC Founder and Director Liz Flynn said: “The UK is a hive of animal rights and vegan advocacy, imagine what we could achieve with our own conference here, dedicated to looking at our unique challenges and opportunities.”
There are now approximately 2.5 million vegans in the UK, a 1.1 million person increase compared to 12 months ago. Meat consumption fell to record lows in 2023, and an increasing number of people are moving away from animal diets for their health, the planet, and the animals.
What is the Vegan Animal Rights Conference about?
Along with Flynn, VARC was co-founded by Emily Huang and Esther Salomon, who have collectively spent years within UK animal rights working on training and leadership development, direct action, strategizing, and mobilization in various parts of the movement.
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The trio describes VARC as a strictly grassroots effort, involving many different people working in their free time to design and organize. In a statement on the event’s website, Flynn, Huang, and Salomon write: “Each of us believes that in order to achieve animal liberation, the movement needs many people working on a variety of different strategies.”
These different strategies include – and combine – both corporate campaigning and direct action, challenging laws and disrupting the food industry through alternative proteins. The organizers add that VARC welcomes both established strategies and “novel” ones.
“The strength of our movement lies in our diversity and unity. With VARC 2024, we aim to showcase the incredible range of voices and tactics within our community, demonstrating that there is not just one way to advocate for animal rights, but a multitude that can unite to form a powerful force for change,” explained Flynn.
VARC aims to ‘challenge, inspire, and educate’
The event will begin with a keynote speech titled “Lessons from 30 Years of Vegan Advocacy” by Generation Vegan’s Director of Communications Kate Fowler, while panel discussions range from “How We Can Use Science to Improve Public Support for Animal Freedom” to “Why We Need to Work Effectively With the Farming Community.”
“We’ve curated sessions that challenge, inspire, and educate. From undercover investigations to legal battles for animal rights, each session is a piece of the larger puzzle of advocacy. It’s about showing the multifaceted ways we can fight for change,” said Flynn.
Other speakers and discussion leaders include Plant Based Universities’ Regional Co-ordinator Alistair Stewart; Humane Society UK’s Senior Public Affairs Manager Amro Hussain; Animal Justice Project founder Claire Palmer; Animal Think Tank founder Laila Kassam; Viva!’s Head of Investigations Lex Rigby; and ALF founder Ronnie Lee.
For the full VARC agenda including timing, read on here.
Vegan Animal Rights Conference 2024: dates, location, tickets, and more
The inaugural VARC will take place at the Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel from April 13 – 14, 2024.
Ticket prices are tiered depending on income from GBP £89 per person up to £168. (There is also an option to donate an additional £10 plus fees to subsidize someone else’s entry.)
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“VARC 2024 is more than an event; it’s a beacon for change in the animal rights and vegan community. We’re crafting a space where advocacy meets action, knowledge meets passion, and individuals become a movement,” added Flynn.
Find more information on the VARC website here and purchase tickets here.
