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March for the End of Speciesism
Hi everyone!
For the third year in Toronto, we are pleased to invite you to the World Day for the End of Speciesism!
This year we will begin our march at Grange Park which is just behind (south of) the Art Gallery of Ontario. Please meet us closest to Beverley Street (in the park) on the west side of the park. Please be there by 12 so we can get marching promptly to remain on schedule for the day! We will start and end at Grange Park!
There is parking off of McCaul Street in an underground lot for $7 (that amount was what was posted at least). The parking lot is across from OCAD and the park is just behind OCAD so it’s all close by. The park is also accessible by subway and streetcar (either Queen, Dundas or Spadina streetcars and St. Patrick Station or Osgoode Station.
****THE SUBWAY IS CLOSED FROM BROADVIEW TO ST GEORGE ON SATURDAY****
We will distribute signage and leaflets at the park so please don’t worry about bringing your own signage so we can remain consistent in our message!
If possible please wear black shirts. The shirts can be activist shirts just please try to wear a black one or dark grey if possible!
The route for the march will take us about 1.5-2 hours depending on our pace and how many people we have. We will have 1 or 2 die-ins (where we carefully lay on the ground for a few moments in silence) and we will have the sounds from inside a slaughterhouse playing so please be mindful of that if that is something that is very traumatic for you. It’s a very powerful component of these marches. We will likely march two by two especially in the event we don’t have much space but we are hoping to march on the road.
Please bring water for yourself to stay hydrated throughout the march and have a hearty breakfast/brunch that morning to get your energy up!!
***See the post on the Facebook event page for the exact route, we will be in downtown Toronto***
Chants for the march are in a post below! Some are posted on the signage but not all so practice them if possible and/or save them to your phone. Once we have chanted for a while you will pick them up quick so not to worry about that!
Speciesism refers to an ideology that considers the lives and interests of animals as insignificant just because they are of a different species. The WoDES was created to expose this harmful ideology among the public and to deconstruct the term, which is at the root of contempt and exploitation of nonhuman animals. On August 26, 2017, we will be opening the door to a world where the life and interests of animals really matter.
Nonhuman animals are denied their individuality, interests, and very right to live. Most nonhuman intelligent beings are turned into commodities, products and numbers. This arbitrary discrimination is at the root of all horrific practices inflicted upon most nonhuman animals, namely:
-eating their flesh & secretions;
-tormenting and confining them for our entertainment;
-using them as material for research;
-inculcate and bolster indifference, disrespect and injustice of other species to children;
-disregarding wildlife by disrupting their ecosystem and destroy their habitat for our use and profit.
Speciesism is irrational because humans are not the only ones to feel emotions and therefore we have the moral duty to respect the lives and interests of other sentient beings who share this planet with us.
Other than Toronto, marches and other events are already announced in Bern & Lausanne (Switzerland), Auckland (New Zealand), Sydney & Melbourne & the Queensland (Australia) and Llubjlana & Maribor (Slovenia), USA and Germany, and lectures will be done for three days in Geneva (Switzerland). Please help spread the word, to make this event a worldwide success, participating in revolutionizing our society for non-humans!
Once again, make sure to watch for the many updates to come, but in the meantime, we encourage you to get familiar with our goals and demands here:
For unity, equality, and justice for all beings!
Note: Please check the Facebook event page for updates.