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What is World Vegan Day?
World Vegan Day is observed every November 1, marking the 1944 founding of The Vegan Society and the coining of the word "vegan." It was launched in 1994 by Society president Louise Wallis to mark the 50th anniversary of both, and now opens World Vegan Month every November.
Why November 1?
The Vegan Society was founded in Leicester, England, in November 1944 by Donald Watson and five other members of the Vegetarian Society, who wanted a separate movement that excluded dairy and eggs as well as meat. In the same month, Watson and his fiancée Dorothy Morgan coined the word "vegan" — describing it as "vegetarian carried through to its logical conclusion."
When Louise Wallis launched World Vegan Day in 1994 to mark the 50th anniversary, she chose November 1 because the exact founding date in November 1944 wasn't recorded. November 1 has been observed every year since.
Upcoming dates
World Vegan Day falls on November 1 every year. The next five occurrences:
| Year | Date | Day of week |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | November 1, 2026 | Sunday |
| 2027 | November 1, 2027 | Monday |
| 2028 | November 1, 2028 | Wednesday |
| 2029 | November 1, 2029 | Thursday |
| 2030 | November 1, 2030 | Friday |
A short history
- November 1944 — Donald Watson and five colleagues split from the Vegetarian Society to found The Vegan Society in Leicester, UK. Watson and Dorothy Morgan coin the word "vegan."
- 1948 — The Society publishes its first manifesto defining veganism.
- 1979 — The Vegan Society becomes a registered charity. Its current definition of veganism is adopted.
- 1994 — Society president Louise Wallis launches World Vegan Day (November 1) and World Vegan Month (the whole of November) to mark the 50th anniversary.
- 2005 — Donald Watson dies at 95, having been vegan for over 60 years.
World Vegan Month
The entire month of November is World Vegan Month. Common observances include:
- The Vegan Society's annual Veganuary-style campaigns (although Veganuary itself runs in January).
- Vegan food festivals and pop-ups in major cities.
- Restaurants launching limited-time plant-based menus.
- Educational events on plant-based nutrition, animal welfare and the environmental impact of food systems.
Sources & references
- The Vegan Society — World Vegan Day.
- The Vegan Society — History — founding chronology and biography of Donald Watson.
FAQs
World Vegan Day was founded in 1994 by Louise Wallis, then President of The Vegan Society in the United Kingdom, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Society and of the word "vegan" itself. Wallis chose November 1 because she didn't know the exact founding date in November 1944 and selected the first of the month.
The Vegan Society was founded in November 1944 by Donald Watson and five other members of the Leicester Vegetarian Society, who split off because they wanted to exclude dairy and eggs as well as meat. Watson and his fiancée Dorothy Morgan also coined the word "vegan" that year. The exact founding date is not recorded, so November 1 was chosen as a symbolic anniversary.
The word "vegan" was coined by Donald Watson and Dorothy Morgan in November 1944. Watson said he wanted a word that took the start and end of "vegetarian," describing it as "vegetarian carried through to its logical conclusion." Watson lived to 95, dying in 2005, having been a vegan for over 60 years.
Estimates vary widely because definitions differ. Surveys put global plant-based or vegan diet rates between roughly 1% and 5% of adults, with higher rates in India (where vegetarianism is widespread), the UK and the US. In the UK, The Vegan Society's surveys suggest the number of vegans roughly quadrupled between 2014 and 2019 to around 600,000.
Yes. The entire month of November is observed as World Vegan Month, also initiated by The Vegan Society in 1994 to extend the anniversary celebration. World Vegan Day (November 1) marks the start of the month.
No. World Vegan Day is not a public holiday anywhere. It is marked by vegan festivals, restaurant promotions, social media campaigns and educational events run by The Vegan Society and partner organisations.