Sept 17

09:00am –
09:50am

Chautari Hall
NUTRITION 101 FOR VEGANS
Vegans are often under scrutiny for their plant-based diet. Although plant-based diet is sustainable, healthy and complete but nutritional questions like calcium, protein, B-12, iron, etc. are discussed frequent-
ly to necessitate the inclusion of animal derived products in our diet. This session will serve as a general guideline for planning, preparing and meeting nutritional requirements of people who are on a plant-based diet or are planning for plant-based diet.
Speakers

• Dr. Zeeshan Ali (Specialist at Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine)
• Vinita Contractor (Holistic Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach)

Moderator
Kuntal Joisher (Vegan Mountaineer and two-time Everest summitter)

Bodhi Hall
TAOISM AND VEGANISM
Speakers

• Ram … (…)
• Dr. Netra Prasad Sharma, Acharya (Ph.D. Buddhist Meditation, Yoga and Meditation Instructor)

Sept 17

10:00am –
10:50am

Chautari Hall
A VEGAN WORLD : AN IDEAL & ITS IMPLICATION
Keegan Kuhn, Award- winning documentary filmmaker of such renowned documentaries like Cowspiracy ( Produced by Leonardo Di Caprio) What the health (produced by joaquin Phoneix) and Running for good, and the End of Medicine (produced by joaquin Phoenix) talks about making social justice documentaries and the shocking truths revealed while making these groundbreaking movies about what we eat and the realation it has to our health, the enviroment, and the planet!

Speakers

• Keegan kuhn (Award Winning Documentary Filmmaker)

Rhino Hall
THE TRUTH BEHIND ANIMALS IN TOURISM
Tourists often pay big money to be able to ride an elephant and visit zoos and consider it to be an exotic vacation activity without realizing the shocking atrocities that happen behind the scenes in order to break the spirit of young wild animals in order to tame them. The outdated concept of zoos should not exist, so let us replace zoos with sanctuaries! Animal sanctuaries are an alternative to zoos where animals are not locked in cages but given the freedom to roam in areas that resemble their own natural habitat. Sanctuaries offer a home for rescued animals that are taken care of by professionals. Income that comes into sanctuaries can be used to treat and take care of rescued animals, unlike zoos that capture animals for the sole purpose of human entertainment and profit.

Speakers

• Dr. Ian Singleton (Wildlife Conservationist & Zoologist)
• Saengduean Lek Chailert (Founder at Save Elephant Foundation, Elephant Conservationist)

Moderator
Asutosh Pradhan (Tourism Entrepreneur, Ph.D. Scholar in Nepalese History, Culture and Archaelogy)

Bodhi Hal
PLANTING SEEDS THE RIGHT WAY – HOW TO BE A
GENUINE “ACTIVIST
To be a vegan is to be an activist because every vegan inspires those around them by simply living vegan. However, many of us choose to take our vegan experience beyond just that, by becoming a professional activist and making it the life’s goal to change the world. There are, however, tips and tricks you could learn to make your mission to inspire and educate more. Learn from experienced expert vegan activists about their journeys and their experiences about how you could be more successful in planting seeds of compassion.

Speakers

• Dr. Sailesh Rao (Founder of Climate Healers, Human, Earth & Animal Liberation Activist)
• Renee King-Sonnen (Rowdy Girl Sanctuary Founder, Rancher Advocacy Program, and Advocate for Compassionate Farming)
• Dolly Vyas-Ahuja (Animal Activist and Vegan Documentary Producer)
• Jessika Ava (Grants Program Director, ProVeg International)

Moderator
Dipak Joshi (Vegan Activist)

Chulho Hall
HOW TO COOK ORIGINAL TEMPEH RECIPES
Seth Tibbott has been making his own Tempeh since 1980 and has become a master of the dish with his experience. Join Seth as he takes you back in time with stories and experiences of his tempeh journey and learn how to make tempeh the original way.

Speakers

• Seth Tibbott (Founder of Tofurky and Turtle Island Foods – the world’s pioneer in vegan food products, and Tempeh Expert)

Sept 17

11:00am –
11:50am

Chautari Hall
ETHICAL SANCTUARIES DO WORK & ARE SUSTAINABLE – FROM A PIONEER IN ELEPHANT PROTECTION
Khun Lek talks about her journey to being the pioneer in ethical elephant sanctuaries, how she did it and how she believes it can be done here; and her advocacy for veganism. Khun Lek is a huge inspiration and a hero to animal welfare advocates and animal rights activists worldwide, in this talk she talks about the “ideal” outcome for the country’s elephants (and all elephants) by presenting her story on what she has done in Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and soon Laos, creating ethical elephant sanctuaries, which are both great examples in animal welfare as well as “living sustainable ethical sanctuary models” others can follow.

Speakers

• Saengduean Lek Chailert (Founder at Save Elephant Foundation, Elephant Conservationist)

Bodhi Hall
SENSELESS SACRIFICES & CRUELTY TO COWS
To think that animal sacrifice still happens in the 21st century is shocking but to think that this cruelty in the name of God happens right here in Nepal is even more shocking! Not only that, the sacred cow has long been regarded as Nepal’s national animal, and the revered cow is even protected by law from being slaughtered. How-
ever, below the surface, the story is very different as the government subsidizes the dairy industries and promotes consumption, even though this industry leads to cruelty to cows and promotes climate change. If this continues we will have a crisis bigger than the one we are facing now. Find out how to end animal sacrifice and how to genuinely treat animals respectively.

Speakers

• Dr. Govinda Tandon (Nepalese History, Culture and Archaeology Expert)
• Dr. Hari Prasad Pokharel (Patron of Sarvodaya Sewashram)

Chulho Hall
WANNA STILL EAT MEAT AND BE VEGAN? LEARN HOW
TO MAKE VEGAN MEAT
Living vegan does not mean you have to give up on the tastes and flavours that you used to love. Learn about the incredible meat replacements available to vegans with an equal if not higher nutritional profile but without the toxins and hormones that come with traditional meat. These alternatives can be used to replace meat in all your favourite recipes without sacrificing texture, flavour or nutrients.

Speakers

• Jayalaxmi Rai (Founder of Granny’s Bowl, Health Save Movement Organizer, Product & Recipe Developer)

Sept 17

12:00pm –
12:50pm

Chautari Hall
BUDDHISM AND PLANT-BASED DIET
Buddhism is a religion that deeply preaches kindness and non-violence to all life. “Sabbe Satta Bhavantu Sukhitatta” is a script that is often chanted in Buddhism which loosely translates to “May all beings be well” which is somehow connected to the core principle of Veganism ‘living a lifestyle that causes minimal suffering to any sentient beings. Find the path of spirituality through the act we do everyday ‘eating’.

Speakers

• Eiko Azumano (Polyglot interpreter, Director – Japan Vegetarian Society, Author of “A Little Book of Zen”)
• Eileen Weintraub (Founding Director, Help Animals India)

Rhino Hall
IMPORTANCE OF THE WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
Animal Domestication happens through selective breeding. Individ-uals that exhibit desirable traits are selected to be bred, and these desirable traits are then passed along to future generations. This is very similar to the Zoo where animals are kept in a bounded place and are kept as a showcase which is a very bad trend that many people think is normal to do. This is when we talk about Animal
Sanctuary which in simple words means to keep the animals freely with no harm or boundaries for them. Learn more about it in our sessions with Ian Singleton and Enric Norguera in whom one of them is zoologist and animal rights lawyer. Where they talk about how animal domestication, how an animal can feel safe and be free around the environment, and also how we can make animal sanctuary possible in here.

Speakers

• Dr. Ian Singleton (Wildlife Conservationist & Zoologist)
• Enric Noguera (Global Coordinator for the NARD (National Animal Rights Day) events, Europe Coordinator for CAFT (Coalition for the Abolition for the Fur Trade)

Bodhi Hall
EFFECTIVE ANIMAL ADVOCACY
Animal justice advocacy needs to be culturally, politically, and socio-economically specific-currently it is often not the case. For a more diverse, inclusive and culturally-appropriate movement in Asia, Animal Alliance Asia has Animal Advocacy Academy which guides for effective activism. Join this session, to equip yourself with knowledge, network and skillset to become a better and more effective advocate for non-human animals.
Speakers

• Elly Nakajima (Director, Co-founder at Animal Alliance Asia)
• Ailya Khan (Strategy Lead, Pakistan Representative at Animal Alliance Asia)

Sept 17

01:00pm –
01:50pm

Bodhi Hall
VEGAN ATHLETES DO EXIST – AND THEY THRIVE
Bust false myths about vegan living being expensive and out of reach to the average person as you learn to consume the best that the plant world has to offer within your budget. Get tips from vegan
experts from all over the world on how to consume inexpensive, easily available whole food that offers the maximum amount of nutrition while limiting expensive processed food.

Speakers

• Fiona Oakes (Global Vegan Marathon Runner and Animal Sanctuary Founder)
• Kuntal Joisher (Vegan Mountaineer and two-time Everest Summitter)

Rhino Hall
HOW ARE WOMEN’S RIGHTS, VEGANISM, AND ANIMAL RIGHTS ALL CONNECTED?
Ecofeminism is the feministic lens towards environmental issues. It interlinks our relationship with nature and how patriarchy is the root of the repression of women and the environment. But non-human animals are not simply part of the environment, there is a deeper connection between feminism and speciesism: There is the presence of a similar systematic way of objectification and exploitation. Join this session to learn about feminism, speciesism and environmentalism through an intersectional approach.

Speakers

• Shristi Singh Shrestha (Animal Rights Advocate, Vegan Activist and Vice-President, Animal Nepal)
• Shilshila Acharya (Environmental Activist)
• Bindu Bhandari (Climate Change Communicator, Outreach and Engagement Manager at Climate Interactive)
• Varda Mehrotra (Animal advocate, Founder Samayu)

Moderator
Priyanka Naithini (Climate change, food insecurity, and racial in-justice activist, Communications Manager at The Virsa Foundation and JIVINITI Research Program)

Bodhi Hall
HOW TO INTRODUCE AND COMMENCE VEGAN CLUB
AT SCHOOL, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
One great way to spread the word about veganism and plant-based eating is through networking and creating a community of vegans. Starting a vegan club at your school, college or university will bring together like-minded individuals while also attracting the attention of those students who are vegan-curious. A club can be a way to host activism events such as food sharing events like vegan fairs and potlucks to draw in a greater audience to the cause.

Speakers

• Dr. Susianto Tseng (World Vegan Organisation Founder and Doctor in Nutrition)
• Dr. Muhammad Umair Arshad (Vegan Advocate & Nutrition Expert)

Chulho Hall
VEGAN IN NEPAL: GOING LOCAL-MAKING NEPALESE
FOOD VEGAN IS EASIER THAN YOU THINK
When you are in Nepal, live like the Nepalese do. Find out all about local cuisine, culture, tradition and learn how to veganise local traditional favourites like Nepalese Newari, Thakali khana set, khaja
set, and Mo:mo from the locals themselves. Along with how to make tempeh in Nepali cuisine.

Speakers

• Samu Yonjan (Vegan Entrepreneur, The Loving Heart Vegan Restaurant)
• Nirmala Gurung (Vegan Entrepreneur, C-Ya Vegan Restaurant)

Sept 17

02:00pm –
02:50pm

Chautari Hall
AHIMSA, YOGA, AND VEGANISM
Yoga, a practice of mind and body which helps in attaining mental, physical and spiritual well-being, has gained prominence all over the world. One of the yamas (which roughly translates to restraint
or rules) of yoga is Ahimsa (non-violence). What does ahimsa mean and where does it extend to? Why do most practicing yogis live on a plant-based diet? Is there interrelation between yoga and veganism? Find your answers here.

Speakers

• Prof. Dr. C.V. Jayanthy (Council Member of International Vegetarian Union (IVU), Secretary of International Vegan Alliance (IVA) and Yogic Early Education Service Trust, Founder of Manushi Yoga Research Foundation)
• Pradaini Surva (Certified Yoga Instructor, Content Creator)

Moderator

• Suresh Prasad Sharma (Nepal chair of the World Vegan Organisation and vegan activist)

Rhino Hall
THE FUTURE OF FASHION
A fashion show where you see all the great dresses worn by models and the designers describing how they create the clothes and which materials and products they used – all cruelty-free and eco friendly.

Speakers

• Anjila Shrestha (Fashion Designer and Make-up artist)

Bodhi Hall
RAISING VEGAN KIDS IN A NON-VEGAN WORLD
Raising vegan children can be extremely challenging in a non vegan world but not for the reasons you might think. As far as nutrition goes, it is extremely easy for a vegan child to get adequate nutrients and sustenance on a vegan diet, however the hardest part about raising vegan children is having to dodge questions and doubts that everyone, including doctors will throw at you at every given chance. Discuss how to raise a vegan child, the sources of nutrition they receive and the challenges vegan parents face and how to handle them.
Speakers

• Dr. Susianto Tseng (World Vegan Organisation Founder and Doctor in Nutrition)

Sept 17

03:00pm –
03:50pm

Chautari Hall
POSSIBILITY OF ELEPHANT SANCTUARY IN NEPAL
Wildlife and its attraction towards tourism has emphasise on elephant rides which has caused negative impact on the ecosystem as well as for the animal well-being, esp. Elephants, in context of Nepal. Learn what can be the challenges that occur during the time of policy formulation in Nepal for the protection of elephants in this session.

Speakers

• Shristi Singh Shrestha (Animal Rights Advocate, Vegan Activist and Vice-President, Animal Nepal)
• Surajan Shrestha (Co-founder of Animal Rights Club (ARC) and a founding member of World Vegan Organisation Nepal (WVON)

Rhino Hall
VEGAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR THE UPLIFTMENT OF SOCIO-ECONOMY IN HIMALAYAN REGION
Veganism emerging trend in the himalayan region, but due to the scarcity of vegan products, there is the limited supply of the vegan products. So, the vegan entrepreneurship can be a new trend or business for those who want animal cruelty free products which may help in the economic growth of the local community. This session will help for the empowerment of local community towards development of vegan entrepreneurship.
Speakers

• Sonal (CEO, White CLub – India’s first dedicated Vegan Foods brand)

Bodhi Hall
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND ANIMAL WELFARE VEGAN FILMS – FROM CONCEPT TO COMPLETION
We have all dreamed of creating an impactful video or documentary as part of our activism and yet, many of us do not know where to even begin with. Join award-winning documentary filmmaker to understand the ins and outs of filmmaking from concept or idea to research through completion.

Speakers

• Keegan Kuhn (Award Winning Documentary Filmmaker)

Moderator
Yubraj Maski (Independent filmmaker & plant-based food promoter)

Chulho Hall
VEGAN IN NEPAL: LEARN HOW TO MAKE NEPALESE FOOD USING VEGAN MILK (SOYMILK)
When you are in Nepal, live like the Nepalese do. Find out all about local cuisine, culture, tradition and learn how to veganise local traditional favourites like Nepalese Newari, Thakali khana set, khaja
set, and Mo:mo from the locals themselves. Along with how to make tempeh in Nepali cuisine.

Speakers

• Samu Yonjan (Vegan Entrepreneur, The Loving Heart Vegan Restaurant)
• Menuka Rajbhandari

Sept 17

04:00pm –
04:50pm

Chautari Hall
HOW TO DO CRUELTY-FREE WORSHIP & RITUALS
It goes without saying that worship should be in its very essence, cruelty-free and not harm any living being. There isn’t only one religion where animal cruelty isn’t done. If we talk about Buddhism, it’s a religion that deeply preaches kindness and non-violence to all life. “Sabbe Satta Bhavantu Sukhitatta “is a script that is often chanted in Buddhism which loosely translates to “May all beings be well” which is somehow connected to the principle of Veganism. Discuss the connection between veganism and cruelty-free worship to the path
of their own spirituality.

Speakers

• Shankar Narayan (Founder Satvik Vegan Society, International Councillor and Regional Coordinator of IVU)
• Vikshu Angphuri Sherpa (Author, plant-based health advocate & monk)
• Kanchan Ghimire (Yog Guru, Art of Living)
• Tara Acharya (President, TAO Association of Nepal)

Moderator
Suresh Prasad Sharma (Nepal Chair of the World Vegan Organisation and Vegan Activist)

Rhino Hall
WANT TO MAKE YOUR RESTAURANT MORE VEGAN-FRIENDLY AND PROFITABLE?
Learn how adding vegan options and secret vegan elements to your restaurant’s menu can enhance your business by bringing in new customers and helping you make more profit without losing your existing customers. Discovering tips and tricks to adding “accidentally vegan” in ways where they will be virtually recognizable to non-vegan customers will draw the attention of the growing vegan market.

Speakers

• Ken Spector (Principal Marketing and Ideas Man, HappyCow.net)
• Derek Sarno (Director of Plant-Based Innovation for Tesco PLC, Chef / Co-Founder of Wicked Kitchen)

Moderator
Alka Naithani (USA Chair of the World Vegan Organisation)

Bodhi Hall
ECOFEMINISM: INTERSECTIONALITY IS THE SOLUTION
You’ve unlearnt the patriarchal values and learned about the inter-connection of feminism, environmentalism, and animal rights, and how oppression is underlying under every social problem. Now, let’s
discuss how we can apply intersectionality in our life to attain justice and common good for all of us (human-animals and non-human animals alike).
Speakers

• Shilshila Acharya (Environmental Activist)
• Bindu Bhandari (Climate Change Communicator, Outreach and Engagement Manager at Climate Interactive)
• Varda Mehrotra (Animal advocate, Founder Samayu)

Moderator
Priyanka Naithini (Climate change, food insecurity, and racial in-justice activist, Communications Manager at The Virsa Foundation and JIVINITI Research Program)

Chulho Hall
LOVE DAIRY PRODUCTS? LEARN HOW TO MAKE THEM IN A PLANT-BASED WAY
Learn how to make all the incredible dairy products alternatives available to vegans. You do not have to give up on your favourite comfort food when you make the transition to veganism. While
veganism is definitely about healthy living, it can also be wholesome and enjoyable. Learn to veganise milk, cheese, curd and butter in this programme so you can add them to your favourite recipes of all time without having to sacrifice the key components that make them delicious and comforting.

Speakers

• Jayalaxmi Rai (Founder of Granny’s Bowl, Health Save Movement Organizer, Product & Recipe Developer)

Sept 17

05:00pm –
05:50pm

Chautari Hall
PREVENTING, REVERSING & HEALING THE DISEASES THROUGH FOOD
It has been proven time and again that a clean plant-based diet of whole food, fruits and vegetables can lower your risk of heart diseases and other severe illnesses and can improve your immunity. In fact, a whole foods plant-based diet cannot only prevent but it can also reverse heart disease and many underlying conditions. Nutrition and medical experts from around the world show how you can eat to heal your body and keep it free of disease and help you to make a cleaner and healthier choice.

Speakers

• Dr. Zeeshan Ali (Program specialist at the Physicians Comittee for Responsible Medicine)
• Dr. Vythilingam Pillay (Physician Doctor, Vegan Motivator)
• Dr. Muhammad Umair Arshad (Vegan advocate and nutrition expert)
• Vinita Contractor (Holistic Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach)

Moderator

• Nidhi Jagetia (Holistic Health Consultant member of Natural Healers)

Bodhi Hall
HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT ISSUES FACING THE HIMALAYA
Wildlife have lived in the wilderness for millennia but as the human population increases drastically and they start encroaching on forest lands, tension begins to mount between humans and wildlife. Humans often resort to cruelty in order to get rid of wildlife from what they believe is their land without realising that wildlife have lived there all along before humans encroached. Experts discuss ways in which the human wildlife conflict can be minimised or eliminated completely while giving animals their true right to their land but also allowing humans to have a right to basic housing.

Speakers

• Ajit Thapa (General Secretary WVO Nepal, Former Director of Recruitment & Retired Brigadier General, Nepal Army)
• Shivraj Bhatta (Conservation Program Director, WWF Nepal)

Chulho Hall
YOU CAN’T BUY HAPPINESS BUT YOU CAN MAKE VEGAN ICE CREAM AND SMOOTHIE!
ce cream really is one of the best things life has to offer, so is a smoothie and you don’t have to sacrifice it when you make the switch to veganism. Vegan ice cream is not just on par with non-vegan ice cream, it is far better. Impress your vegan and non-vegan friends alike with your newfound ice cream making skills that you will learn at this workshop from Jayalaxmi Rai.

Speakers

• Jayalaxmi Rai (Founder of Granny’s Bowl, Health Save Movement Organizer, Product & Recipe Developer)

Sept 17

06:00pm –
06:50pm

Chautari Hall
STEP-BY-STEP MOVE TO ETHICAL SANCTUARY MODEL FOR ELEPHANTS IN NEPAL
Captive elephants are used for entertainment most specifically for back riding. These elephants have their wild spirit broken and are used to attract tourists. Reintegration to the wild for these captive elephants might not be possible but rehabilitation to a Ethical Sanctuary promotes the interest of these elephants. Step-by-step transformation to Sanctuary Model will be explored here.

Speakers

• Saengduean Lek Chailert (Founder at Save Elephant Foundation, Elephant Conservationist)
• Shristi Singh Shrestha((Animal rights advocate, vegan activist and vice-president, Animal Nepal)

Rhino Hall
ALTERNATIVE VEGAN AGRICULTURE
Demand for organic food products is increasing drastically, driven by the increased knowledge of what we consume. With this, comes the need to focus on how to make the eco-friendly dream of food forests come true. So, what can we do to practice environmentally-friendly, cruelty-free organic farming? Learn from the experts on how to create a self-sustained food forest that can provide you all year round organic foods including how to make organic, cruelty-free fertilizers.

Speakers

• Renee King-Sonnen (Rowdy Girl Sanctuary Founder, Rancher Advocacy Program, and Advocate for Compassionate Farming)
• Dash Meizler (Founder of the Podrska Foundation and Animal Liberation Activist)

Bodhi Hall
BEING VEGAN ???
To be vegan is to follow a plant-based diet among other lifestyle choices. Does being vegan seem difficult and out of reach to you? Discuss why there is an urgency for as many people as possible to go vegan and what the individual and collective benefits of veganism are.

Speakers

• Fiona Oakes (Global Vegan Marathon runner and Animal Sanctuary Founder)
• Dr. Zeeshan Ali (Specialist at Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine)
• Kuntal Joisher (Vegan Mountaineer and two-time Everest Summiter)
• Emilia Ananda Leese (Co-founder of Birchfield Highlands Forest Rewilding and Natural Capital Laboratory, Lawyer, Animal Rights activist, Author: Think Like Vegan)

Moderator
Priyanka Naithini (Climate change, food insecurity, and racial
in-justice activist, Communications Manager at The Virsa Foundation and JIVINITI Research Program)

Chulho Hall
THE ART OF FERMENTATION AND ITS UNTOLD BENEFITS
The benefits of fermented food are no secret and yet, many of us are afraid to try our hand at fermentation. Fermentation and nutrition expert, Vinita Contractor will take you through the steps of fermentation and educate you on important information that you need to keep in mind when fermenting plant food so you too can reap the astounding benefits of fermented food.

Speakers

• Vinita Contractor (Holistic nutrition and lIfestyle coach)