Panorama of Events

Switzerland

Promoting “Big” Ideas through “Small” Events

By Geneva News Group (Originally in English)

[Geneva] From August 1-3, Golden Year 5 (2008), the Geneva Center participated in an Art and Music Festival in Leysin, a mountain holiday resort in the French part of Switzerland. It was the first time the local initiates sold vegetarian food at such an event, and they learned a lot from this experience.

The food they provided included different salads, cold vegetarian meats, hot vegetables and tofu dishes with wholemeal rice or quinoa, a cereal that is very rich in protein and minerals. One of the sisters baked some delicious vegan cakes that sold very well. Their food received many compliments. People said they felt very good after eating at their stall. One couple came back the next day and told the initiates that their food was the best and that their stall was bathed in light. The initiates also distributed SOS, Supreme Master TV and AL flyers. Many of the visitors were interested in the SOS poster and read it carefully. Generally, the public wanted to know more about vegetarianism, with some young people saying that they would consider eating less meat, while others bought the packets of gluten-based meat replacements.

The Swiss Vegetarian Association had a booth next to the initiates’ and were very active in promoting vegetarianism. All in all, it was a very uplifting experience. Though the Geneva Center is small, they successfully managed this event with Master’s blessing. They would like to encourage all Centers to start selling vegetarian food at music festivals, exhibitions or any other events in their cities, towns or villages, as it is a very good way to show people how delicious this Earth-sustaining, compassionate style of food can be.