Media Release

for immediate use MANEKA GANDHI TO LEAD ANIMAL WELFARE MARCH AND SPEAK IN BRISTOL Maneka Gandhi, until recently a minister in the Indian Government and one of the world’s leading campaigners on environmental and human and animal rights issues, will address a march and public meeting in Bristol on October 2nd to celebrate World Farmed Animals Day, 2002. March: Meet at 5.15pm, St Augustine’s Parade, opposite Hippodrome; march commences 6pm. Public Meeting addressed by Maneka Gandhi: 7pm Council House Vegetarian campaigning organisation, Viva!, is marking World Farmed Animals Day 2002, with a march and public meeting in Bristol lead by Maneka Gandhi. Mrs Gandhi is the daughter-in-law of assassinated Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and was Minister for Animal Welfare in the Indian Government until this summer. She is one of India’s most high-profile politicians and a forceful and uncompromising advocate for environmental, human and animal issues. She will be joined by Juliet Gellatley, Founder and International Director of Viva! which is currently based in Brighton but will be moving its headquarters to Bristol in 2003. The march will begin with a blessing ceremony and short speeches on the themes of vegetarianism and farmed animal welfare. It will end at College Green, prior to the public meeting. At the Council House meeting Mrs Gandhi will make a wide-ranging speech on issues of peace and vegetarianism. Ms Gellatley will speak on the global impact of animal agriculture. Council Leader Dianne Bunyan will also address the meeting. Viva! campaigner, Alistair Currie, said, "Viva! is very proud to be promoting these events. Mrs Gandhi is a campaigner of immense international stature and her visit to Bristol offers a great opportunity to learn more about the global campaign for animal welfare and to show British support for an activist at the very forefront of the struggle for a more compassionate and rational world. All this talk about the ‘crisis in the countryside’ has ignored the liberty, lives and wellbeing of millions of farmed animals in our countryside and across the world. We invite the people of Bristol to take part in an event which celebrates compassion, instead of defending cruelty." Note for editors: These events are part of the wider Ahimsa Celebration 2002. A variety of events involving Maneka Gandhi will take place in Bristol. World Farmed Animals Day takes place on 2nd October because it is Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday.