Tallinn Vegfest 2019 (EE) – come and say “Hello”!

Drum beat: welcome to join Tallinn Vegfest 2019!

Using arts and crafts for improving position of oppressed animals: Marita Tanninen (Vegan Vortex; FI)

“Every person has a key to change the world. I believe spreading the knowledge about animal rights is one thing that can make a big influence, and I think we are heading to more cruelty-free world all the time. If and when we are aware of these things, we can also demand improvements to be written in our laws. For example, many countries have banned fur farming lately. We just have to fight against the system.”

Putting love and respect for the animals into drawings: Weronika Kolinska (MENIMA; PL/NL)

“Animals are unique, they have personalities. I try to draw animals as individuals and I want to show other people how I see them – beautiful, majestic beings, deserving of our respect. I have also illustrated my favorite vegan poem about the milk industry to depict some of the standard practices, like taking the calves away soon after birth, killing the calves for veal and killing the cows when they are “spent”. I’m proud to say that those illustrations reached and touched a lot of people.”

Promoting vegan, feminist and environmental messages on film and also behind the camera: Melanie Light (UK)

“There is something which is like an addiction from working in the film industry, I love it as form of art and creativity. It is really hard, long hours and can fuck with your mental health but I feel like there is nothing else I could do with myself. I am working hard to get myself into a position where I can use my platform of film making to spread messages and awareness of positivity.”

Advocating for a better world for animals, one art piece at a time: Jane Lewis (UK)

"Non-human persons can teach us to respect and to live in harmony with the planet’s natural environment, and to take from nature only what we really need. Humanity is in the final stages of polluting and destroying the environment for ego and greed. We would do well to look to other animals as examples of how to live with instead of against nature."

Pointing out social injustices and alternatives: Alex (roots of compassion; DE)

“For me being active doesn’t necessarily mean torching slaughterhouses or liberating animals, even though these methods can be absolutely appropriate. The main form of activism we engage in as a collective is education, through books, blog entries, messages on stickers, patches and T-shirts. We financially support projects that have a more direct and militant approach (e.g. the occupiers of the Hambacher Forest in Germany) and write about their actions because in our opinion different forms of activism have to go hand in hand if we want to have an impact. /…/ As a long-time activist, whom I once met at the Animal Rights Gathering, put it: “You are not the movement, you are part of the movement.” I would like to add: “Take care of others and fight for their rights, but also take care of yourself.””

Giving voice to a vegan community through graphical messages: Jacky Wasserman (US)

“As a vegan seeing how the movement and community has grown over the past 5 years has been so inspiring. I love hearing from friends that want my advice to go vegan because they saw a documentary or heard about how much the environment is affected or they love animals too much. Helping people transition and just being me without really doing anything but leading by example has been the most effective thing I think. As an entrepreneur, creating a community of badass women boss babes that collaborate and support each other has been so rewarding. Cultivating and creating relationships with other business owners is a must. We all can relate!”