Worldlog Week 17 - 2009 - Hoofdinhoud

In the past weeks I’ve been receiving e-mails from people all over the world inspired by our Worldlog and who can’t wait to get to work setting up a party for the animals in their respective countries.

Some people have told me that the electoral systems in their countries do not lend themselves to a party for the animals because of high electoral thresholds. In other cases, the rights of animals simply do not feature in people’s consciousness as is the case in the Netherlands.

Today I’d like to offer you some practical tips for getting right to work on setting up a party for the animals.

First off, be aware that the mere establishment of a party for the animals will get a great many people thinking, simply because they are not used to the idea of political parties representing anything other than the interest of humans.

In any event, you will need a group of like-minded associates who all share similar ideas about animal welfare and animal rights.

A good way to get started is by organising dinner evenings with potlucks. This involves organising meet-ups via the Internet for people who believe in taking a stand on behalf of animals, nature and the environment and who are willing to share their ideas over dinner. This is where the potluck model comes in: all guests bring along pre-prepared vegetarian dishes which are all sampled and discussed (very inspiring!). Another model is the benefit model where a group of people prepare a meal and invite others to partake in it for a contribution which then goes towards the new party. You can find a good model for organising this type of meeting here.

You could organise various activities during the meeting, such as talking about the current political situation with respect to animal rights or viewing and discussing the film 'Meat the Truth' (which can be ordered via amazon.com).

You will soon notice how people are drawn to this subject and how they are also willing to actually get to work on setting up a party for the animals.

Be careful that people aren’t put off too easily! There can often some pretty high hurdles to clear, such as the large number of declarations of support required or monetary deposits. However, my experience shows that these barriers can certainly be overcome if you are convinced of the need for such an initiative. Big ideas lead to big results. Internet is a powerful medium for reaching out to and mobilising large numbers of people in your area, region or country. I have written previously that in 2002 we started with just 3 people. We now have an organisation of more than 9000 members. On 17 May 2009 we will be showing the film Meat the Truth during the Veggie Pride Parade in New York and during a United Nations sustainability conference.

Take some time week to think about the possibilities in your country. Perhaps you could follow the Dutch model. Perhaps you could even improve on it. I eagerly await any questions or news from you and I wish you every success!

Regards,

Marianne Thieme