Welcome the World

As President of Indonesia Vegetarian Society (IVS), a member of Asian Vegetarian Union (AVU) and International Vegetarian Union (IVU), it brings me great pleasure that our country will have the opportunity to host the 4^th Southeast Asian Vegetarian Congress in 2010. Enthused and motivated, our team has already begun the planning and preparation for the upcoming congress in Medan, and we are all very hopeful of the event's success.

As always, we are confident that IVS events such as the 4^th Southeast Asian Vegetarian Congress will fruitfully increase global awareness on the multifaceted benefits reaped from a vegetarian lifestyle. Locally, IVS has been extremely active in holding events throughout the country, and promoting the merits of vegetarianism. Our branch offices in the smaller cities outside of Medan have been contributing to our organization's mission of promoting a healthier way of living.

The world has clearly shifted its focus on becoming pro-green, and it is comforting to know that more and more global citizens are turning environmentally friendly. The high frequency of natural disasters prevailing in the past decades, the continuing deforestation of the world's rainforests, and worries of the supply of sources for energy, are a few examples of the worsening condition of our planet earth. What will happen if this all continues? The answer is not a pretty sight: possibly more natural disasters, the extinction of animal and plant species which may potentially be valuable sources in curing diseases, and continued world hunger and famine. We all need to realize that living a vegetarian lifestyle will help our planet earth. For example, remember that every time one consumes beef, one is supporting the deforestation of our rainforests as cow-grazing requires acres and acres of open land-space. The environmental merits of vegetarianism will most definitely be a highlighted topic in the 4^th Southeast Asian Vegetarian Congress in 2010.

Once again, we are proud to have the opportunity to host the 4^th Southeast Asian Vegetarian Congress in 2010. Along with our entire team, we are looking forward to meeting old friends, meeting new faces, and making new friends, all for the common goal of promoting a better way of living.

Respectfully,


Bambang Sumantri
President of Indonesia Vegetarian Society