About us
Welcome to Vegan and Vegan-Curious in Zurich!
Who we are: We are a community grounded in fairness and kindness towards animals. We also value attention to our own wellbeing, respect for the environment, and meaningful human connections. Our purpose is to bring together people aligned with these values or interested in exploring them, and to foster shared joy, experiences, and friendships, as well as joint collaboration towards a better, more compassionate future. We believe that veganism is a beautiful philosophy and strive to make it more accessible to everyone.
Is this group for you?: Our doors are open to anyone who is open-minded, respectful, and values positive actions and interactions. Our group spans a wide spectrum, from people living fully vegan, to vegetarians and flexitarians, to those who are newly vegan-curious and starting out with the first steps of their plant-based journey.
Why join?: You might be surprised at how naturally aligned you are with our group’s values, even if you haven’t even yet started your plant-based journey.
- Animals: Who doesn’t love animals? Many of us feel a natural compassion towards them and would willingly do simple, low-effort things to help alleviate their suffering. Our group offers easy, enjoyable ways to make a positive impact for animals, through visits and volunteering opportunities at sanctuaries, shared vegan meals and conversations about ethical eating, joint brainstorming and discussion sessions on effective advocacy and innovative ways of giving back and helping the cause as individuals.
- Environment: Today, many people are looking for ways to live more sustainably, even if they are not entirely plant-based. By joining us, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to contribute to a healthier planet in a relaxed, supportive environment.
- Health: We all care about our health and well-being. A plant-centered lifestyle can be a great way to explore new foods, learn new healthy recipes, improve your diet, and reduce the risk of many lifestyle-related diseases. Further, human connections are important for our mental well-being. If you simply want to form new friendships and are on the lookout for a welcoming and open group of people, simply join one of our events to discover if our values resonate with you!
Our events: Our events are designed to be both enjoyable and meaningful, and try to combine purpose and a betterment of the world with joy, laughter, and connections. They include everything from visits to sanctuaries, informative and awareness drives, brainstorming and discussion sessions, and volunteering opportunities, to relaxed chit-chat meetups at cafes and bars, exploring Zurich’s vibrant food scene in restaurants, picnics in nature, and a lot more.
We strive to create a positive, encouraging, and non-judgmental atmosphere where everyone feels welcome, whether they join to learn, share, or just enjoy good company.
Join Us!: By joining Vegan and Vegan-Curious in Zurich, you will not only have a great time participating in our activities but will also learn new things and make lasting friendships. In fact, you might find that you’re more aligned with a plant-based lifestyle than you thought! We invite you to join our community— you can connect with us here on Meetup, or, in addition, join our WhatsApp community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/DtJHQeastK9FtmEpRiOQ0N
Additional Resources: For those interested in diving deeper into animal advocacy beyond our local community, I've compiled a curated directory of impactful animal welfare organizations, effective donation platforms, research institutions, career and volunteering opportunities, and learning material that you might find helpful: https://journal.simrantinani.com/links/
Upcoming events
1
- CHF 5.00
Conversation with an animal rescuer + spend the day with Horses! 🐎🐴
Zürich Hauptbahnhof, Bahnhofquai, 8001 Zürich,, Zürich, CH[The 5 CHF fee goes as a donation to the sanctuary. Non-vegans are encouraged to join. ]
An encounter with an inspiring human can be life-changing. Their resilience, hard work, courage and unwavering dedication can awaken something within ourselves and motivate us to go on even in difficult times. In this very special event, we introduce you to Beatrice Hunkeler, who has built a sanctuary near Luzern that is a safe home to numerous horses, ponies, sheep, chickens, rabbits, dogs and cats 🐴🐑🐰 and creates a natural habitat and eco-friendly environment for wildlife.About Beatrice: Beatrice has rescued and single-handedly cared for over 80 animals in the last 10 years. An economist and tax lawyer by profession, she works full-time for her own consulting company and uses all of her free time to care for her rescued animals and advocate for the rights of animals and the protection of nature. Her Verein “Lebenshof Spirito Elvetico” is an organization dedicated to saving animals in need as well as education and awareness around animal welfare and plant-based living.
The event: We will visit Beatrice’s sanctuary, hear her story, and spend meaningful time with the animals. Beatrice will share her journey—how she began, what sustained her through difficult times, where her work stands today, and raise problematic topics.
You will hear the stories of individual animals she has rescued, how they have flourished in safety and care, and about the effect this work has had on Beatrice’s own life. She will also highlight her learnings and experiences over the years and will give us a glimpse into the inner worlds of equines, these intelligent and big but gentle animals. 🌿🐴
Why join? Few of us truly grasp the physical, mental and emotional demands of rescue work or the strength required to face cruelty and suffering we cannot always prevent. Beatrice embodies extraordinary resilience, emotional courage, and unwavering faith in purpose. The sanctuary she has built stands as a haven of kindness in an often cruel and indifferent world.
Several of our members have already visited this remarkable place and felt compelled to share it with our community. This event offers two unique opportunities: first, witnessing what one person can achieve and how this experience may awaken your own sense of purpose and inspire meaningful change in your life.
Second, spending time with innocent, intelligent and sentient non-human beings in their natural environment can ground us and reconnect us with what truly matters. ✨ Beyond personal growth, this event is simply a chance to share a meaningful and enjoyable experience with new and old friends—both human and animal.---------------------------------------
[Important Note: To avoid no-shows and thank Beatrice for hosting us, the event requires a fee of 5 CHF, which will go entirely as a donation to the sanctuary and be used for the care of the animals we meet. You can pay it directly to Beatrice at the venue. If you want to join but are tight on money, write me a DM and we can discuss an exception for you. If you are capable and like the sanctuary, you can consider increasing your donation. 💛 ]
---------------------------------------
Logistics: For those travelling from Zürich, we will meet at Zürich HB and use the train journey to Luzern (followed by a short bus ride) for some chit chat and socializing. We will take the IR 70 connection at 10.10 a.m. 🚂
If you live nearer to Luzern, you can also meet us directly at Luzern HB at 10.50 a.m. (do not be late as we have to take another bus). We will also travel back together, but you can leave earlier if you wish.
Please bring a packed lunch, water bottle, and snacks for yourself. The venue has place to sit together and eat.
Please join the WhatsApp group for better coordination: https://chat.whatsapp.com/DJWA8ibBUh63EGeku2hayJ
----------------------------------------
35 attendees
Past events
13
