This is a thread for a continued dialogue that began during the AVA Summit DC in Washington, DC, from May 16-19, 2024.

The session "Uniting Voices: A Global Movement" highlighted the progress and challenges of the vegan movement in Portugal, Angola, and Brazil. 

In Portugal, victories included the introduction of vegan options in public institutions and political party proposals supporting veganism. However, challenges such as little public support for training and needing to work with chefs in schools were noted. Angola saw growth with 30,000 vegetarians, participation in fairs, and vegan meal kits, but faced challenges like a lack of investment in infrastructure and limited vegan restaurants. Brazil had significant progress, with 14% of the population self-identifying as vegetarian, celebrity collaborations, and many health professionals trained. Despite this, Brazil faced obstacles such as being the second-largest beef producer, inadequate punishment for animal crimes, and the need to run campaigns to elect eco-friendly candidates.

Ideas for overcoming these challenges included creating a sharing platform for resources, templates, funding opportunities, and contacts, as well as organizing same-language summits to promote inclusivity. The session emphasized understanding differences while finding common ground, suggesting the development of personas to tailor messages by country. Overall, the session underscored the importance of collaboration, resource sharing, and tailored strategies to advance the vegan movement globally.

Speakers 

• Nuno Alvim, Board Director and Executive Director of Portuguese Vegetarian Association (AVP)
• Larissa Maluf, Director of Communications of Brazilian Vegetarian Society (SVB), and 
  Jonah Goldman, Director of Marketing of PLNT Burger. 

Talented visual artist and infographic creator Caryn Ginsberg of Priority Visions carefully visualized this session from start to finish, highlighting key points and takeaways.

Let's continue the dialogue below to explore how we can unite our voices for increased success in the context of global activism and advocacy.