09/05/24 Everything is ready for the 16th ZeGeVege festival of sustainable living!
A three-day vegan festival for everyone starts on the European Square on Friday
- A small treasury of health, sustainability, ecology and compassion along with restaurants and exhibitors at the ZeGeVege festival
Everything is ready for the 16th ZeGeVege festival of sustainable living, organized by Animal Friends Croatia association, which will last three days for the first time! From September 6 to September 8, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., 60 exhibitors and six restaurants on Zagreb's European Square will present a diverse range of plant-based products and dishes, and visitors will be able to sit on benches under umbrellas and learn more about sustainable living. Interesting workshops, educational interviews and various other interactive activities will be held all three days, all to promote a compassionate way of life and animal rights, stop climate change, environment protection and healthier eating.
The ZeGeVege festival encourages visitors to adopt positive lifestyle habits and reduce their ecological footprint. As every year, ZeGeVege will gather different exhibitors, who, along with tastings, promotions and prize games, will present a rich selection of vegan and ecological food products such as plant-based milk, cheeses, yogurt, sausages, spreads, salami, burgers, etc. On the menu of six restaurants passersby will be able to try vegan cordon bleu, vegetable chicken based on pea protein served in pita bread, sushi and gyoza, falafel, pad thai, seitan pašticada, stew with vegetable meat and various types of burgers with vegan beef, chickpeas, quinoa or spinach. For dessert lovers, healthy, tasty treats will be available - from classic Danube waves, rafaello, bajadera, tiramisu, Black Forest cake, lamington cake and muffins, and even mochi filled with strawberries and peanuts. Those looking for refreshment will be able to try a variety of craft beers, juices from exotic fruits and beverages such as the popular mango lassi.
Manufacturers of natural cosmetics will offer a variety of vegan products that are not tested on animals. Visitors will also be able to enjoy a selection of clothes and bags made from recycled materials, reusable products such as cloth pads, cookbooks, books and T-shirts with messages, the purchase of which supports associations for animal rights and protection. Dogs out for adoption will be shown to the public every morning.
Employees of the Public Health Service will measure blood pressure and advise on how to quit smoking. A recycling yard will be set up at the ZeGeVege festival to educate visitors about waste sorting.
Announcements of dynamic and inspiring conversations with those who live a sustainable lifestyle, which will take place during all three days, can be seen at www.prijatelgi-zivotinja.hr. Among them, Animal Friends Croatia highlights the interview with the campaign's public figures, Sonja Bonačić and Jan Hajsok, who will present what is hidden behind the slogan "Veganism does not require acrobatics – only good will" on billboards. In addition to that, visitors will be able to hear more from nutritionist Maja Ljubas about the benefits of veganism in all stages of life, such as pregnancy and early childhood, from plant-based food producer Tino Pažur about the challenges of such entrepreneurship, and from athlete Ana Špac about how she reached gold with a vegan diet in three weightlifting categories.
To become more familiar with the topics of veganism and sustainable living, all visitors will receive a special brochure as a gift and will be able to read educational texts from large billboards located on the main city square, next to the capital letters of the diet of the future. Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomašević also announced his arrival at the ZeGeVege festival.
"Facing climate change, which is increasingly affecting our planet, it is necessary to recognize the importance of switching to a vegan diet. Research shows that the meat industry has a greater impact on climate change than all transport combined, so the time for change is here and now. We invite you to the ZeGeVege festival, where together we can take the first step toward a sustainable future! The ZeGeVege festival provides the perfect opportunity to educate ourselves about the benefits of vegan food and discover how each of us can contribute to saving the planet. Everyone is welcome! Come, participate and learn to be part of the solution, while having fun and finding something interesting and tasty for yourself!” said the organizers Animal Friends Croatia.
The ZeGeVege festival program can be found at www.prijatelji-zivotinja.hr, and anyone interested in volunteering can still register at www.zegevege.com.
The sponsors of the 16th ZeGeVega festival are President of Croatia Zoran Milanović, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Ministry of Environment and Green Transition, City of Zagreb, Zagreb Tourist Board, Agency for Agriculture and Food, Agency for Agriculture and Food, Croatian Chamber of Commerce and Committee for Environmental and Nature Conservation of the Croatian Parliament.
Exhibitors are: Spar (General sponsor), dm Drogerie Markt (sponsor), Avemed, AWT International, Braniteljska zadruga ARKA NAŠA (Qala prirodna kozmetika i Arka Delicija), BiBi craft, BITE with zest (Balkan vegan), Bormax decorators, Dinin kutak, Homecraft Borka Plavšić, Homecraft Sanja Zorić, Flafi diapers, Ghrei Story, GLORY craft for production and services, Iris&Branimir Delicije, Animal Protection Network, OPG BOSNAR - Bakina riznica ljepote, OPG Branko Kovačić, OPG Držanić „Ljutomania”, OPG Grivičić - Aurelia Natura, OPG Hukavec, OPG Ivan Šulog, OPG Kalić Zvonimir - Croaticanna, OPG Kranjčević, OPG Korade, OPG Pocedulić, OPG Diana Romić, OPG Rogić, OPG Rosa Petalis, OPG Sinković Danijel, OPG Šantak, OPG Hursa „Slatko moje zeleno”, people2people, Piterija Zvrk, Animal Friends Croatia, Sana Delikatese, Sattva association, Shelter for abandoned animals of City of Zagreb, Slovenian Vegan Society, SMID t.o., Sniff'n'Sniff, Social cooperative Humana Nova, SOS Cat, Superplanty, Association Najsretnija beba Croatia, Association of Persons with Disabilities „Bolje sutra” of the City of Koprivnica, Association Pobjeda, Vindija and WWF Adria. The exhibiting restaurants are Spar, Oaza Joyful Kitchen, Falafel, etc, Thai Thai Street food, Vegehop, and Pink Pig.
Media sponsors are: Nacional, Večernji list, CentarZdravlja.hr, portalzdravlja.hr, zagreb.info, rijeka.danas.com and HoReCa PRO, and sponsors: HDS Zamp, Hooh Media, Kraš, Encian, bio&bio and Annapurna.
Friends of the ZeGeVega Festival are: Inki Dinki, Thrive, Karuna, ZET - Zagreb electric tram, and the Public Health Service also provides support.