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To all Overseas Sadhu Vaswani Centres
From: Society for the Teachings of Sadhu Vaswani, Penang (Sadhu Vaswani Centre, Penang)
Dada Shyam
Dear Brothers & Sisters,
Greetings from Sadhu Vaswani Centre of Penang
We have been asked by Beloved Dada Jashan & Sister Gulshan to help overseas centres in promoting and providing suggestions for the planning of the International Meatless Day. It is hoped that eventually the Penang Centre becomes the coordinator of the campaign for all centers outside India
This is indeed a big task— one, which a newly born centre may find difficult to do. But with the blessings of Dada, we shall try. Many of you must already have very successful campaigns, many are already doing great work and there are some who have done great work but find their campaigns losing steam and there are some who think the campaign cannot work in their area because of political & economic reasons.
What can we do?
Sister Gulshan says Beloved Dada Jashan wants to awake the fire in all of us. Dada wants the campaign to be on everyone’s minds. To us in Penang, the greatest motivation is that Dada wants this campaign to grow from strength to strength. We all have one thing in common, we all love and care for Dada. That is why we must always work for the campaign to fulfil the prophecy of Sadhu Vaswani.
The campaign has strong merits. By getting people to sign a pledge to observe Nov.25, as a Meatless day, we are creating an awareness, we are planting seeds which will surely sprout someday. We are making people think that alternative diets are available. We are making people conscious of the physical, spiritual, ethical & environmental reasons for turning meatless. Most important of all we are going to awake the feeling of compassion in our hearts for all living creatures.
A tall task!
But Rome was not built in one day. We have to start somewhere! And that is what Penang did. A few years ago we actively built a campaign that grew from strength to strength. From Penang our campaign reached the rest of Malaysia. We started and managed to create an awareness of the need to go Meatless.
So let us tell you our story, our experiences, our successes and our failures. Perhaps we can inspire you to do more. Perhaps you can teach us a few lessons and give us new ideas to create and regenerate a continuous campaign.
WE also hope to provide some ideas, which you could implement subject to local conditions. Decide what suits you. Plan now. Perhaps you could even let us know of your plans for this year’s campaign.
Finally we strongly believe whatever little we have managed to achieve is with the Grace and Blessings of Dada without whom nothing can be done.
We remain,
In the service of Dada
Pishu M. Hassaram
Chairman, Society for the Teachings of Sadhu Vaswani, Penang
Meatless Day - Our Story
For years we had been collecting pledges from friends and devotees. Pledge forms were duplicated and handed round. We even got mentioned by the press. In short, we were doing nothing great. We managed to collect a few paltry pledges. The highest was 720 in 1996.
In 1997, through a friend, we were introduced to a State Minister for Youth & Sports, the Hon. Koay Kar Huah. He agreed to launch the campaign where he would sign a pledge and hand over pledge forms to leaders of associations. The Hon. Dr. Rajapathy, State Minister for Health also agreed to attend the function and sign the pledge form.
Invitations were sent to the press and leaders of non-governmental organisations to attend the function. Representatives of 25 associations attended and we the organisers spoke about the campaign and spoke of the benefits of going meatless. Both the state ministers signed their special pledge forms, which were actually large placards. The reporters attending were given press kits and copies of our speeches. The local press including the English & Chinese reported the event.
Then came the follow up. Telephone calls were made to the association heads requesting them to return the forms duly signed. The Chief Minister also signed the pledge form, a total 1661 pledges were received.
1998
Buoyed by the success of the previous year, we launched a grander campaign with the function open to the public. We did essentially the same thing but with the following additions
The response was tremendous. Staff of two top class beach hotels joined the campaign. They had separate ceremonies where signed pledge forms were handed over to the Hon.Koay. Hotels, Restaurants donated prizes for the slogan competition. Other state leaders joined the campaign. The publicity was great. We collected a total of 3,481 pledges.
1999
We did things differently. We had a launch at a different venue away from the centre of the city. We had another guest speaking, a scientist and spiritual leader giving a talk entitled, "The Art of Living is to have a heart for the living".
The attendance was lower because
Our campaign was slightly sluggish. No new fresh ideas were generated. The General Election was just after Nov.25. The Chief Minister & many other candidates also signed the pledges. Many were involved with campaigning.
The result was a creditable 3000 pledges.
2000
Originally we agreed to do away with a launch. However we got a Federal cabinet Minister who was in Penang for a meeting, to do a soft launch in a beach hotel. He signed the pledge to go meatless and handed over pledge forms to leaders of commercial organisations, non-governmental organisations & spiritual societies. The hotel sponsored a vegetarian luncheon for the guests
We organised a pledge handing over ceremony at the Sheraton. This involved handing over signed pledge forms to the Chief Minister. After that we had a quiz competition with attractive prizes followed by a cooking demonstration by the Chef of the hotel— all sponsored by Sheraton, Penang. Unfortunately the Chief Minister could not make it but sent the State Tourism Minister instead. She suggested making an event of Meatless Day and putting it on the State Tourism Calender.
And on Nov25, we organised a free luncheon for the poor. The chief minister, two state ministers attended the Chinese vegetarian meal. Two deejays from national radio station pledged to go meatless. Another radio station dedicated the whole day to Meatless Day in a fun sort of way.
Meatless day had become national and involved a good cross section of society. The press coverage was excellent. Total no. pledges 3700.
2001
WE are going to organise a vegetarian carnival and this event is listed on the state tourism calender. Millions of people round the world will now hear of Meatless Day.
Suggestions
What can you do?
Always remember the objective of the campaign is to
Create different events all the time
Provide information to the public on the advantages of going meatless
Get a VIP or a personality or even a sportsman to attend. The public will then become interested and attend the event. The press will get involved.
They will encourage their members to join in.
Explain the concept of compassion & how it leads to promotion of peace.
Some background must be provided. On arrival at the function the press must be given a presskit which gives background information, details of present events all of which will help them report the event. Media will only come if it is interesting or if it is news worthy and presentable.
Never see the difficulties of starting a campaign but see how successful you are going to make it. Believe! And success will come.
Dada said the current events show that the time is now right to move this campaign to greater heights. Let us all work for the prophecy of Sadhu Vaswani, to come true!
