Vegetarian association to hold Vegfest
The Vegetarian Association of Ghana (VegGhana) is gearing up to host its ninth annual Vegfest in Accra on October 25, 2014, at the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park in Accra.
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The association was originally billed to host the 42nd International Vegetarian Union (IVU) at the Accra International Conference Centre in October. However, as a result of the unfolding situation regarding Ebola in the West African sub-region and the directive by the Government of Ghana to ban all international conferences for three months, the event has been postponed to October next year.
It would have been the first time an international event of vegetarians was to be hosted in Africa since the inception of the IVU in the early 19th century!
Because of prevailing conditions, VegGhana extends invitation to the general public to attend the Vegfest celebrations in Accra for a family day of education, entertainment, great vegetarian foods and to also learn more about healthy diets. The occasion would be celebrated on the subject, “Miraculously preserved - Celebrating Life at the centre of the Earth”.
As part of the event, there would be an organic vegetable market that would have on board fresh produce from different farms. In addition, there would be a food preparation workshop to be led by vegetarian chefs.
Edwin Baffour of the Vegetarian Association of Ghana said, “It would be a great opportunity for Ghanaians and visitors alike to taste traditional Ghanaian vegetarian dishes that have almost gone extinct and to listen to enlightened speakers on culinary art in order to add spice to your lifestyle”.
According to the organisers, on Friday, October 24, there would be a health walk that would begin at 9a.m. from the Obra Spot at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle to the Ministries and end at the Asase Pa Restaurant on the High Street.
In the course of the celebration, the Executive Committee of the association would present a letter to the Minister of Health, requesting greater consumption of plant-based diets in Ghana.
The Chairman of the Planning Committee, Dr Kofi Asare, said the alarming increase in lifestyle related-diseases such as diabetes, coronary heart disease and high blood pressure was because Ghanaians ate more for convenience than for nutrition.