World Health Summit Supports Meatless Monday Movement

On Oct. 10, thought leaders and decision makers from academia, industry, government and civil society will dine on a Meatless Monday menu at the World Health Summit 2016 in Berlin, Germany. This signals WHS' endorsement of the growing global Meatless Monday movement.

The World Health Summit, scheduled for Oct. 9-11, is an international platform for exploring strategic developments and decisions in the area of healthcare. WHS' Meatless Monday endorsement fits in with the summit's session on "Planetary Health" that will explore the long-term health implications of changes in the environment caused for example through their effects on food and agriculture.

Michael J. Klag, dean of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and 2012 WHS president said, "Meatless Monday is an important public health campaign that has been advised by the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future since 2003. The campaign's encouragement of going meat-free one day per week is a practical and simple step toward improving individual and public health globally. Recognizing Meatless Monday at the World Health Summit aligns with our mission at the Bloomberg School to strengthen public health practice infrastructure worldwide."

In related news, Veestro announced its partnership with the group. In collaboration with Meatless Monday, Veestro has released the “Meatless Monday Meal Pack.” The pack will include eight breakfasts, eight lunches and eight dinners—enough for eight weeks of Meatless Mondays.

"By offering a convenient package of freshly prepared, fully cooked, meatless meals, Veestro makes it easy to go meatless on Mondays," said Monica Klausner, co-founder and CMO of Veestro. "You don't have to be fully vegan to enjoy plant-based meals, and we want people to have the option of starting with a small commitment—like skipping meat one day a week."

Veestro delivers healthy-plant based meals, created from wholesome ingredients, ready to heat and eat. Veestro meals are all-natural, preservative-free food that's high in protein and fiber.  

"We are excited to be partnering with Veestro whose mission is greatly aligned with ours," said Dana Smith, brand director of Meatless Monday. 

Meatless Monday is a nonprofit public health initiative founded by Sid Lerner, chairman of The Monday Campaigns in association with the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future. The campaign encourages the public to cut back on meat consumption one day a week to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer and lessen the environmental impact of meat production on climate change, water and land use. 

The campaign is founded on research that demonstrates Monday is the day people are most primed to start and sustain a healthy new behavior. Since its launch 13 years ago, Meatless Monday has become an international movement in more than 40 countries with support from governments, schools, celebrities, restaurants and local and global organizations around the world.