An Animal Rights/Vegan Activists' Strategies Article used with permission from All-Creatures.org

Lia Wilbourn discusses the exciting and impactful events and outreach that In Defense of Animals was involved in for World Vegan Month this past November.

World Vegan Month Advances Solidarity With Action & Truth Sharing
From Lia Wilbourn, IDA In Defense of Animals, idausa.org
January 2026

Michael Angelo Torres and Lia Wilbourn at San Francisco World Vegan Festival. Photo Credit: In Defense of Animals

World Vegan Month 2025 united communities from around the world to educate the public about the many benefits of practicing veganism and champion the rights of animals to live free from exploitation. Throughout the month, In Defense of Animals co-hosted powerful events to inspire justice and compassion for all animals. Watch our highlights video to see these moments in action!

On November 1, 2025, World Vegan Day, we advocated for animals at the San Francisco Vegan Festival, one of the largest and longest-running vegan festivals in the United States. The festival brought together farmed animal sanctuaries, plant-based food vendors, and animal protection groups. It also featured artists, authors, fitness influencers, veterinarians, and comedians promoting the ethics of veganism and the health and environmental benefits of a plant-based diet.

Lisa Levinson joins other activists in Mexico City on World Vegan Day. Photo Credit: In Defense of Animals

We also participated in outreach efforts during Mexico City’s Day of the Dead festivities (Día de los Muertos), a tradition that honors deceased loved ones. Families create ofrendas, or altars with offerings, for children, animals, and other ‘pure souls’ on November 1, and for adults on November 2. Others commemorate October 27 as a special day for remembering cherished animals, creating tributes with photos, candles, collars, toys, ashes, and marigolds to honor their spirits.

Photo Credit: In Defense of Animals

In solidarity with Animal Save and We the Free, we invited the public to experience the world from an animal’s perspective using virtual reality (VR) headsets for the “3 Minute Movie Challenge.” With treats offered for participation, passersby were able to see and understand the horrifying realities faced by farmed animals and other animals in industries that exploit and kill them.

We reminded the public that animals exist for their own reasons and that humans have no right to use them for our own ends. While animal companions are often honored, farmed, aquatic, and countless other animals are ignored, tormented, and slaughtered for unnecessary reasons. The handheld signs expressed that animals suffer under domination, their lives matter, and many die without care, freedom, or even a name.

We also featured thought-provoking live webinars and interviews with two renowned leaders in the animal rights movement: Dr. Sailesh Rao, founder of Climate Healers, and Dr. Crystal Heath, founder of Our Honor. Through these presentations, we advanced our shared mission to expose the devastating toll of animal farming on animals, humans, and our planet, urging everyone to stand up for the inherent rights of non-human animals to bodily autonomy and liberation.

Together, we amplify the principle of veganism and call for a new way of being human, rooted in nonviolence, respect, and love for Earth and all her inhabitants.

Watch replays of our lively World Vegan Month 2025 discussions with prominent activists Dr. Sailesh Rao and Dr. Crystal Heath, as well as last year’s conversation with Dr. Faraz Harsini.

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Posted on All-Creatures.org: January 2, 2026
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