The 26th Boston Veg Food Fest is going virtual again on Saturday, Oct. 23. The event begins at 10 a.m. and will last 90 to 100 minutes. With the theme of “Bringing The World To Boston,” the sponsor, The Boston Vegetarian Society, decided to gain an advantage by using the online format. The committee assembled a list of prominent speakers from around the globe who are advancing plant-based living in their countries — many who wouldn’t be able to join for an in-person event. One is Nicola Kagoro, a Zimbabwean chef spearheading a vegan movement in Africa while educating rural communities on the benefits of a plant-based diet. Others are Drs. Dean and Ayesha Sherzai of Afghanistan, now living in California, both Alzheimer’s experts, who will talk about plant-based diets and your brain. Jain Yi, a Chinese filmmaker and activist who works toward transforming China’s food system, produced a documentary about the impact of meat consumption on the environment. Also presenting is Denmark’s Rune-Christoffer Dragsdahl, a leading climate specialist and educator, as well as animal rights activist Seb Alex of Lebanon. “These are all movers and shakers in all corners of the world who are advancing plant-based diets in their countries,” says Evelyn Kimber, the Vegetarian Society’s president. “Most people have no idea there is so much going on.” Kimber and a small group of volunteers created the society in the late 1980s to promote vegetarianism. Now they work toward education and outreach to encourage healthy plant-based eating to benefit animals, the environment, and climate, and the annual festival is their main event. The fest also includes The Virtual Vegan Marketplace, where there will be dozens of food and fashion products and books available to buy online. To livestream the free event, go to bostonveg.org.
ANN TRIEGER KURLAND