The day Switzerland called for a day without meat

In an effort to give greater visibility to climate issues and animal rights, a new national campaign has been launched in Switzerland:

, an initiative that aims to encourage cities, municipalities, companies, hotels and restaurants to stop serving meat in their dining rooms one day a week, on Thursdays.

The project is promoted by the secular and apolitical association Swissveg, which since its creation in 1993 in the field of public relations has promoted the sustainable consumption of plant-based foods as a responsible, healthy, attractive and accessible lifestyle.

The idea is that on that day the menu only includes vegetarian or vegan dishes and gastronomic discoveries.

Veggieday should,

the one hand, reduce meat consumption in Switzerland and, on the other hand, encourage young people and adults to participate and reflect on their own relationship with meat.

“We will say mission accomplished!

when

has been widely adopted and consumers have become accustomed to it”, say its promoters.

Whether for a health issue, for the environment or for the welfare of animals, today it seems undeniable that meatless diets are recommended.

Damian Carrington, responsible for the area of ​​the environment in the British newspaper

, points out an idea: “Eating plants is a more efficient use of the limited resources of the planet than feeding animals with plants and then eating them.

The global herd of cattle and the grain they consume occupy 83% of the world's agricultural land, but produce only 18% of food calories.

Since its foundation, Swissveg has been committed to disseminating factual information about the effects of animal-based diets and the benefits of a 100% plant-based diet, thus bringing a positive point of view to the public debate.

On their website they explain that among their objectives is to obtain a sustainable reduction in the consumption of animal products, to make the food industry aware of the importance of vegetarian products of controlled production, to improve the conditions of the legislative and political framework in favor of animals and the vegetarian way of life, lead the Confederation to define measures that encourage Swiss farmers to favor the production of products intended for direct consumption without wasting resources,

It is not surprising that it is in Switzerland where this project is promoted, since it was in this country that what is considered the first vegetarian restaurant in the world was founded more than 100 years ago, and surely it is still one of the best today.

The Hiltl opened its doors in 1898 in the heart of Zürich and remains an institution on that pleasant corner of Sihlstrasse.

In those years, the first customers entered through the back door so as not to be insulted.

Vegetarianism was frowned upon.

Even so, Ambrosius Hiltl adopted it as an attempt to alleviate his rheumatoid arthritis.

The advice came from his doctor, who forbade him meat in the belief that raw vegetables, fruits, and nuts would mitigate his ailments.

The vegetarian menu attracted above all women, artists, writers,

religious and those with health problems.

And so it continued to operate until today, when, in the hands of the fourth generation, the Hiltl continues to serve works of art à la carte or in a buffet that enjoys much international prestige by offering more than 100 specialties with influences from around the world. 

Exclusive content for subscribers

read without limits

subscribe

I'm already a subscriber