The Global Movement
Since its start in 2003, the Meatless Monday movement has taken root in over 40 countries and now includes Meat Free Monday, Green Monday, and adaptations in 22 different languages. The movement to skip meat once a week continues to grow as more and more people are finding innovative ways to make meatless dishes part of their everyday culture, customs and cuisine.
Are you interested in launching Meatless Monday in your country? Download our resources and become part of the movement! Looking for Chinese resources? Download our translated materials here.
Already involved with Meatless Monday or a meat reduction campaign in your country? Join the Meatless Monday Global online community, a space created for advocates to connect, share and work together to achieve the common goal of reducing global meat consumption – for our health and the health of the planet. This online platform was created by The Monday Campaigns, The Center for a Livable Future at Johns Hopkins, and The Center for Communication Programs at Johns Hopkins, and enables people to share profiles, contribute to the news feed, join forums, and message others in the community. Groups are organized by regions, topic areas, practice areas, and organization type, making it easy for members to connect with like-minded people. Join the Meatless Monday Global online community now!
Download the Meatless Monday Global City Guide
Learn how cities and communities across the globe use Meatless Monday to inspire healthy, sustainable, plant-based eating.
See the global Meatless Monday groups around the world:
Australia
Meat Free Mondays Australia is an initiative of Do Something! and the Fry’s Family Foundation, started in 2013. The campaign has a strong and growing visibility in the Australia.
Meat Free Monday Australia sends out weekly newsletters with recipes from celebrity chefs. Their website hosts a blog featuring up-to-date news on meatless issues as well as information pertaining to organic foods, fair trade, animal welfare, household waste, and other sustainable topics.
Argentina
Argentina’s movement launched in 2012. Their online messaging encourages people to go Meatless one day a week for their health and to help the environment.
Belgium
“Donderdag Veggiedag”—Thursday Veggie Day was founded in 2009. “Donderdag Veggiedag” is a campaign run by EVA, a nonprofit committed to the production and consumption of plant food and an environmentally friendly society.
In 2009, Ghent was the first city in the world to pass a Veggie Thursday proclamation. Their campaign has spread throughout the country, and “Veggie Day” is now an official word in the Belgian dictionary. Check out their website for recipes, cultural news, and endorsements.
Bhutan
In Bhutan, Meatless Monday is known as “Jangsem Monday.” Jangsem actually translates to “Bodhicitta” in the Sanskrit language, which is taught by the Buddha and Buddhist masters as the essence of enlightenment. Jangsem serves as reminder to think beyond yourself and to think of others. The national TV broadcaster, BBSC, promotes Meatless Mondays there, on the show the “Jangchub Shing” (or the Bodhi tree). The show has featured special guest David Yeung, the director of Hong Kong Green Monday.
Organizers in Bhutan are spreading Jangsem Monday by sharing vegetarian recipes, gardening, and motivating local politicians, actors, singers, bands and an artist to join the movement. They are also working to launch Jangsem Monday to spread greater environmental awareness at the Royal Thimphu College, and are visiting schools in the capital city of Thimphu to encourage students to learn about the connection between Buddhism and going meatless. Further, they are working to spread the movement to hotels and restaurants, and also promoting vegetarian restaurants. They will promote Meatless Monday by featuring participants of schools, communities and people who are going meatless on Monday, online and on TV.
Bolivia
Lunes sin Carne was launched in Bolivia in January 2014. Their efforts are led by the animal rights organization APLAB, Amor por los Animals Bolivia. While most Bolivians participate for health reasons, others are inspired by animal rights and the environmental benefits of going meatless. Each Sunday, APLAB promotes Lunes sin Carne at a fair in the center the capital city, La Paz.
At these Sunday fairs, APLAB organizers offer vegetarian and vegan food samples and recipes to help the community prepare for Monday “sin carne”. Other efforts include active outreach through Facebook, where they promote Meatless Monday and share meatless recipes with over 22,000 followers. Three times a year they organize large events with live music, vegetarian foods, and educational promotions about Lunes sin Carne. The movement continues to grow in La Paz, where there are now more than five vegetarian restaurants.
Brazil
In Brazil, Segunda Sem Carne was founded in 2009. The campaign is run by the Brazilain Vegetarian Society. The city of Sao Paolo offers one million vegetarian meals twice a month, which translates a reduction of 88 lbs of meat per month.
Sengunda Sem Carne has the support of celebrities who wear t-shirts and share the meatless campaign via social media. Their website includes an outline of the program activities, news, press, recipes, and links to its thriving social media communities.
Canada
Meatless Monday in Canada is a local chapter of global initiative, led by Earthsave Canada. They work in collaboration with several other like-minded groups, including their French-language partner in Quebec–Lundi Sans Viande.
Several Canadian universities and schools have proclaimed Meatless Monday, including McGill and Queens. The City of Vancouver proclaimed Monday June 10th, 2013 as the city’s and country-wide first official Meatless Monday. See their website for more news and detailed information. Quebec Meatless Monday launched in Quebec in 2010 as Lundi Sans Viande. Its site provides a list of participating restaurants, celebrity signatories and user-submitted recipes, as well as an archive of press releases dating back to its inaugural exposition.
Chile
Vegetarianos Chile runs their national Lunes sin Carne movement, which continues to grow strong. Their website shares a wealth of information including recipes and news about vegetarian life.
The Lunes sin Carne campaign is well known in Latin America providing resources and information for those interested in Meatless Monday. Chile continues to garner campaign support from celebrities. They are working to spread the movement to the government, schools and restaurants. And, they promote Lunes sin Carne at large-scale cultural events, including Lollapalooza 2014. See their website for more!
Croatia
The Croatian Meatless Monday program is led by Animal Friends Croatia. The capital Zagreb was the first city to officially support Meatless Monday. Their campaign grows strong–they have the official support of Ministry of Agriculture, the City of Samobor, and the former President of Croatia Ivo Josipovic. Local restaurants and like-minded organizations participate in the movement. Animal Friends sends out a popular weekly newsletter, and their website describes the great success of Croatia’s Meatless Monday campaign! Check out their favorite recipes here: French Salad and Horseradish Sauce
Denmark
Two Meatless Monday campaigns thrive in Denmark.
Meat Free Monday Denmark was started in 2012 as a grassroots campaign led by Noura Mahfouz Kindler. Partnering with large food chains, food manufacturers and restaurants, the group holds events to promote Meatless Monday with live music, art, and presentations. Check out their original song, Make It a Monday!
Kødfri Mandag (which translates to Meat Free Monday) has brought Meatless Monday to three large universities. Check out Kødfri Mandag’s beautiful vegetarian cookbook and other Meatless Monday inspirations.
France
Launched in France in January 2019, the Meatless Monday initiative “Lundi Vert” translates to “Green Monday.” It is supported by 500 personalities in France (including leading scholars in nutrition) as well as the main NGO working in environmental and animal defense fields. The campaign is associated with a longitudinal study of nutritional changes led by a team of scientists in economy, nutrition and psychology supported by the National Center for Scientific Research and coordinated at the House of Human Sciences in Grenoble.
Germany
In Germany, “Donnerstag ist Veggietag” (Thursday Veggie Day), was launched in 2010. The campaign is run by VEBU or Vegetarierbund Deutschland, the vegetarian society of Germany. VEBU is a nonprofit committed to the production and consumption of plant food with the eventual goal of an animal- and environment-friendly society.
There are over 30 cities participating in Germany’s Meatless Monday campaign. Schools, companies are on board to go meatless too! See their website for recipes, cultural news, and national endorsements.
Holland
In Amsterdam, the Zuidas Meatless Monday Campaign launched in 2014. Zuidas is the growing business district in the capital city where eight companies have already joined the movement. Participating groups include a bank, a global paint company, a management consulting company, law firms, municipality services and a real estate firm. Employee and company feedback has been positive and the programs continue to expand. In September 2014 organizers will host the official kick-off event in a square on the Zuidas business district to promote the movement by offering vegetarian foods at small market stalls. In November, they will be considered for the Accenture Innovation Award. For more information and campaign updates, check out their Twitter or Facebook.
Honduras
The Meatless Monday (Lunes sin Carne) campaign in Honduras is led by national nutrition leaders. Their program partners with local restaurants, writes promotional articles for the national news and shares vibrant meatless recipes each week.
Campaign participants include a variety of local restaurants, individuals at homes, and are working to spread the movement to schools. They are supported by two national NGOs. You can try Honduran meatless recipes for Black Beans & Rice, Chinese Friend Rice, or Lentil & Kale Power Soup.
Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, Meatless Monday is part of the “Green Monday” movement, a collaborative effort to reduce carbon emissions and lessen individual impact on the environment. Green Monday has support from organizations, schools, government and even the Hong Kong International Airport Authority.
Over 1,000 restaurant outlets, including Chinese, Indonesian, Thai, Vietnamese cuisines, fast food chains, coffee shops, pizzerias, salad bars, ramen shops have joined the movement to increase vegetarian options and promote the message of Green Monday. The schools program, was launched in 2012, and has been impactful on students.
Hungary
Earth Day Foundation, an environmental organization, brought Meatless Monday to Hungary. The campaign is a strong and growing movement. They partner with social workers, schools, restaurants, and public figures to unite Hungary around the Meatless Monday Movement.
Food and eating is an important aspect of Hungarian culture, so the campaign works to connect with local culture by partnering with celebrities to share their favorite meatless recipes. In Hungary, the most important reason to participate is to help the environment. Their next promotional effort will look at the amount of water consumed to produce meat.
India
India’s Meatless Monday was started in 2018 by Veganoholic. The movement in India focuses on spreading awareness about plant-based foods and encouraging plant-based eating. By introducing plant-based menu items in popular restaurants and microbreweries, Meatless Monday India is giving people the option to go meatless for their own health and the health of the planet.
Indonesia
Indonesia’s Meat Free Monday Facebook page went live in 2010 through a collaborative effort between the Indonesia Vegetarian Society and the Vegan Society of Indonesia. Their campaign has gathered an impressive list of supporters from the worlds of entertainment, politics and the environmental sciences.
Iran
Meatless Monday was introduced to Iran in 2013 through the Omega Research Team, an organization that promotes health, nutrition and food science.
Meatless Monday Iran is supported by 17 diet therapy clinics, 7 food companies and the International Humane Society. Their website provides a host of information including links to relevant news items, international databases, and academic journals. Check out their Meatless Monday video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgYNCgCXDfc&feature=youtu.be
Israel
Meatless Monday Israel was launched in 2012, spearheaded by the grassroots efforts Miki Haimovich a former television news anchor and national celebrity. In 2014 a report showed that 20.8% of Israelis – more than 300,000 people – have adopted the initiative since it was launched. The campaign is supported by government organizations, restaurants, businesses, universities and hospitals.
Government supporter for the movement comes from a lobby in the Knesset, Minister of the Environment, Mr. Amir Peretz, Minister of Education, Rabbi Piron, Health Minister Ms. Yael German and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Participating academic institutions include Ben Gurion University, Tel Aviv University and Sapir College. Further support from the government municipalities of Tel Aviv, Petah Tikva and Modi’in. Meatless Monday was launched in a Café chain with nearly 140 branches nationwide.
Italy
Lunedì No Meat efforts are led by “the green chef” Francesca Molica Colella. The campaign launched November 2014 in Sicily with a two day event to feature a convention and press conference. The event showcased plant-based foods from all over Italy and offered vegetarian food tastings. The mayor of Capo d’Orlando, in Sicily, endorsed Meatless Monday with the intention to spread the movement to community schools and restaurants. Francesca organizes veggie cooking lessons to educate people and restaurants on how to substitute meat on Mondays and live healthier every day. The campaign grows with the support of doctors, famous athletes and government. Check out the Lunedì No Meat Facebook, to keep up with campaign news, vegetarian recipes, and the global meatless movement.
Jamaica
Jamaica launched Meatless Monday in 2010 as a grassroots movement through Kingston Kitchen, a food style company run by the famous “Juicy Chef”– Jacqui Sinclair. In Jamaica there’s a growing awareness of the benefits of more vegetables and reduced meat diet on health.
The campaign efforts are working to share Meatless Monday recipes online and to shoppers at grocery stores. Next, the campaign is working to garner government support.
Japan
Veggie Monday Japan is an initiative launched in 2010, currently backed by The Ethical Vegan Society of Japan. The website provides a useful primer on both the Meatless Monday program and plant-based diets in general, including what to eat, where to eat it, and which schools and universities around the world are participating.
Korea
Korea’s robust website delivers—in addition to its many scientific, news-related, and archival documents—a simple and inspiring message: “When you do not eat meat one day a week, you are an environmentalist.” The site is an indispensible resource for anyone who wishes to better understand the environmental urgency behind going meatless once a week.
Kuwait
Meatless Monday Kuwait is an initiative of the nutrition department in Kuwait Cancer Control Center. Their campaign aims to spread awareness and promote healthy lifestyles by cutting down on meat consumption. Meatless Monday is particularly important for health, as rates of obesity and diabetes in Kuwait are also high and rising among the young generation.
March 10, 2014 marks the official launch of the Meatless Monday Kuwait campaign through Kuwait University’s school of medicine in partnership with Standing Committee of Public Health (SCOPH). National supporters of the campaign include the Ministry of Health, Food & Nutrition Administration and Cancer Awareness Nation (CAN).
Luxembourg
Meat Free Monday Luxembourg launched in May of 2015.
Malaysia
Malaysia’s Facebook page went live in 2010 and features a wide variety of user generated content.
Mexico
Mexico’s Lunes sin Carne is organized by Ana, a certified nutrition and dietetics coach, from the University of Leon, Spain. Ana writes articles for local news and provides easily digestible tips, research, and personal anecdotes in support of the movement. She teaches in schools about the health and environmental benefits of meat reduction. In Mexico, the message is spreading around the country, already an elementary school and a university have officially joined the movement.
In 2013 Tec de Monterrey in Nuevo León launched Meatless Monday across their main campus dining halls. They developed a meatless menu and map to allow students to discover where to dine meat free each Monday. In September 2014, La Escuela de Lancaster, an elementary school in Mexico City began Meatless Monday to advocate health and environmental concerns. The school promotes Meatless Monday on their website, and they continue to expand the cafeteria’s meatless options.
The American School Foundation of Monterrey in Santa Catarina, Nuevo Leon, México launched a Meatless Monday program in November, 2017 with the mission “to develop a city-wide movement by impulsing Meatless Monday within our neighboring schools.”
New Zealand
Meat Free Monday New Zealand, supported by the Berrysmith Foundation, excites and inspires Kiwis to use Monday as the day to try new plant-based foods. Featuring an online pledge, delicious recipes, and several Kiwi celebrities on board, this campaign has a promising impact on health, the environment, world hunger, and animal welfare.
Norway
Meatless Monday’s mission? Saving the world. So say the curators of Norway’s Facebook page, the destination for a passionate defense of animal rights and green living.
Peru
“Lunes sin Carne,” or Meatless Monday Peru, was launched in 2014 after organizers were inspired by the movement in Brazil. They launched Meatless Monday with a vegetarian picnic in honor of Meat Out Day. The campaign launch was a big success with over 200 participants learning about Meatless Monday through informational flyers and recipes. Peru plans to make “Picnic Sin Carne” a regular Meatless Monday sponsored event.
Philippines
“Luntiang Lunes” or Meatless Monday in the Philippines is led by Dr. Custer C. Deocaris. Their efforts encourage schools, citizens and government institutions to go meatless one day a week and embrace native produce. Little Miss Earth and Miss Teen Earth Pageant contestants participate in and promote Meatless Monday to support the environment.
Portugal
In Portugal, Meatless Monday is known as 2as Sem Carne. The Portuguese movement was founded in 2009 with the support of Political Party for Animals and Nature (PAN). The campaign spreads the meatless message by presenting on the health and environmental benefits of going meatless.
Currently they have one school on board, and are looking to expand the reach to more students. The campaign collaborates with bloggers who promote plant-based eating to support the movement. On their website 2as Sem Carne actively shares news, recipes, tips and celebrity interviews, tips and recipes about how to cut out meat one day a week.
Singapore
The Green and Healthy Monday campaign was launched at the Green and Healthy Festival 2016 as “a free, easy and fun way to make a positive difference in the world.”
“We envision a world of inner peace where harmony, beauty and unity prevail, and people are inspired to act with gratitude, respect, and unconditional love towards life and nature.
This vision can only be realised with a social movement promoting green and healthy living, starting with the adoption of a plant-based diet one day a week.”
Slovakia
The Slovak Vegan Society was established in the spring of 2016. Their goal is to inform people about the ethical, environmental, and health aspects of a plant-based diet through lectures, information stalls, educational materials, and gastronomy. In 2017 they introduced a Meatless Monday program in Slovakian universities.
Slovenia
Slovenia has a strong online community committed to educating the public about the importance of Meatless Monday. They have shared over 150 recipes, to encourage people to try and go meatless one day a week. Join their Facebook community, or watch their documentary film “Meat the Truth.”
South Africa
South Africa launched Meat Free Monday in 2011, with support of the Fryes Family Foundation. Around the country over 600 restaurants support the movement with vegetarian options. Over 20 schools, like-minded organizations participate in the campaign.
National universities support Meat Free Monday, including University of Cape Town, University of KwaZulu Natal and Varsity College Durban. Campaign organizers have spoken to over 16,000 students in schools they are very passionate about the movement. Check out the video of campaign organizers spreading Meat Free Monday in schools. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1Y1yM_yNLc
Spain
Spain’s movement launched in 2011. Their online messaging encourages Spaniards to go Meatless one day a week to help the environment.
Sri Lanka
Meatless Monday Campaign in Sri Lanka draws on the successful worldwide campaigns of Meatless Monday of which the main objective is to reduce meat consumption and raise awareness of the health, environmental and overall benefits of plant-based diets.
The campaign is organized in collaboration with Humane Society International (HSI) one of the key organizations working towards protecting all animals, creating a cruelty-free environment for them to live in through the promotion of animal welfare across the world. In line with the work related to animal welfare in Sri Lanka, in which SLYCAN Trust plays an active role, the Meatless Monday is a project aimed at advocacy and creating awareness on the need to shift towards a plant-based diet to address issues of cruelty to animals, health, and adverse impacts of climate change.
The ask of the campaign is for consumers to be meat-free one day per-week with the understanding that it benefits personal health, environment and animal welfare.
Togo
In partnership with Welfare Togo, Eco-Conscience TV and the Chargè de mission de l’environment-gouvernance of the French Embassy in Togo, Food For Life Togo successfully launched Lundi sans viande (Meatless Monday) in May of 2016, starting with a government secondary school, Lycèe de Baguida.
Turkey
Turkey’s Meatless Monday movement has a strong online presence. Their blog offers a summary of the Meatless Monday program as well as related news, research, and recipes.
United Arab Emirates
Meatless Monday UAE is an extension of the global movement aimed at promoting healthier and more sustainable eating habits in the United Arab Emirates. Launched in 2024, the initiative is gaining momentum by introducing pilot programs in schools and advocating for broader participation across various sectors. With a focus on improving individual health and supporting environmental conservation efforts, Meatless Mondays UAE seeks to engage schools, restaurants, caterers, hospitals, corporate offices, and individuals in embracing meat-free options every Monday. Through their local social media presence on Instagram (@meatlessmonday.uae), they are aiming to inspire and empower the community to make mindful choices for their well-being and the planet.
United Kingdom
Launched in the UK by Paul, Mary and Stella McCartney in 2009, Meat Free Monday is a not-for-profit campaign which aims to raise awareness of the detrimental environmental impact of eating meat, and to encourage people to help slow climate change, preserve precious natural resources and improve their health by having at least one meat free day each week. Campaign support has spread to hundreds of schools, and to universities including Wadham, Regent’s Park and Pembroke Colleges (Oxford), UCL and City University London. Meat Free Monday has also garnered the support of dozens of restaurants and businesses.