Vegan International, Founded by Author Sharon Wallenberg, Participates at United Nations

Author Sharon Wallenberg represented Vegan International at the Anniversary of the United Nations Day of Older Persons Conference on Thursday, October 10, 2019.  Krishna Gautam, new V I International Advisory Board member, was the Keynote Speaker.  Mr. Gautam is the Founder of Aging Nepal, which teaches illiterate Grandmothers to read and write.  These Grandmothers were not given the opportunity to go to school as girls.  Education for girls was not allowed then.  Although school for girls is now accepted in Nepal, no provisions were made for the previous illiterate generation until Krishna Gautam founded Aging Nepal.  Mr. Gautam has also started a “No Kill Zone’ in Kathmandu.  According to Aging Nepal Founder, Krishna Gautam, ‘There are many bodies: people, animals, and insects - but only one life.’

Mr. Gautam also maintains that he would have been sleeping on the streets of New York if not for Sharon, who came to his rescue when he arrived from Kathmandu.  There was a problem at his hotel due to an oversight by the UN NGO Committee on Aging who was hosting Mr. Gautam.  Fortunately, between Krishna and Sharon, they straightened it out that evening, and the next morning the UN NGO Committee on Aging members arrived.

Vegan International, Founded by Sharon Wallenberg participated in the Anniversary of the UN Day of Older Persons Conference first with a proposed side event called “Healthy Aging”.  This had three parts: Diet, Exercise, and Health Care.  ‘Health Care’ was to be presented by Vegan Cardiologist, Robert Ostfeld, MD.  ‘Exercise’ was to be presented by Mindy Collette, Vegan Bodybuilder, and friend of VI Advisory Board Member, Robert Cheeke.  ‘Diet’ was to be presented by a Registered Dietitian from Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine arranged by Founder and VI Advisory Board Member, Neal Barnard, MD.  

The side events were cancelled by the UN NGO Committee on Aging, and written statements were accepted instead.  Vegan International submitted a statement on ‘Healthy Aging’ written by T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., Nandita Shaw, MD., and Neal Barnard, MD.