Oxfordshire County Council in United Kingdom to serve only vegan food at its meetings and events. The council’s cabinet approved a motion to ban all animal-people-derived ingredients from council-catered occasions and require school meals to include more plant-based options.Councilor Ian Middleton, who had put forward the motion, said, “These are not choices we’re making for ourselves, but for future generations. This is a very minor change that sends a powerful message to the people we represent that we take tackling climate change seriously and are prepared to play our part as community leaders.” The authority will also focus on sourcing local food for its plant-based meals.Our heartfelt praises, Oxfordshire County Council, for your wise and forward-thinking decision. Also, our applause, Councilor Ian Middleton, for your determination to get the compassionate motion adopted. May your excellent example help inspire a rapid implementation of Vegan Law worldwide, in Divine upliftment.

Heroic Ukrainian women risk their lives to save country’s youngsters. A group of daring mothers from war-torn Ukraine have rescued at least 227 youth in their mission to bring as many stranded children as possible to safety. Calling themselves the Claw, the heroines carefully lay out plans for fearless members to sneak past Russian troops to reach the frightened young ones, who are hiding in basements underneath Russian tanks.Each daring operation may rescue up to 35 children, who are then driven for two days to reach safety. Many of the rescuees are orphans. The team still has many more missions to accomplish as they are contacted by youngsters left behind.Claw organizer Ksenia said, “They [the children] are Ukraine’s treasure. They have to be rescued.”Our standing ovation, courageous and loving women of the Claw, for your bravery in rescuing the precious children. May God shield and guide the tenderhearted Ukrainian people in this difficult period of time.Supreme Master Ching Hai: “Tearfully present the Shining World Heroine Award to the Claw team mothers, plus US$30,000 as a simple token of support, with heartfelt gratitude, love, and prayers. May God protect each of you and the vulnerable children you save.”

Since the start of the war, more than 10 million Ukrainians have been displaced, with 4.3 million of them fleeing to neighboring countries. Following Supreme Master Ching Hai’s donation of US$100,000 to Ukraine and Her encouragement for others to help as well, our Association members around the world have also made financial contributions, totaling more than €310,000 and counting. The funds have enabled a relief team to carry out relief work in Moldova, with its members coming from Austria, Canada, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, and the United States. In Moldova’s capital city of Chisinau, the team packed a total of eight vans full of food supplies, clothes and medicine, which were then sent into the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv, Lviv and Odessa. They also prepared hundreds of bags with vegan food and drink items, and distributed them to various refugee centers across the city. In addition, the relief team donated more than US$10,000, along with vegan food and supplies, to two animal-people shelters housing the companions of Ukrainian refugee families. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees have also been arriving in Italy. Our Association members from Rimini responded to the Italian immigration office’s requests for essentials, with hundreds of bottles of water and fruit juice, along with home-made vegan sandwiches. Meanwhile, our Association members from the United Kingdom and Ireland met up with local initiates in Warsaw, Poland, and delivered €1,000 worth of vegan food and hygiene products to the train and bus stations, where many refugees were arriving. Later, a contribution of €15,600 from our international Association members went toward purchasing and transporting needed items from Poland to Ukraine by truck. Included were generators, medical equipment, power bank chargers, bulletproof vests, and sand bags, etc. Furthermore, another relief team from Poland bought and sent vegan food supplies to a vegan restaurant in Lviv, Ukraine that is serving free food to refugees. With gratitude to Supreme Master Ching Hai, who taught us to always spread unconditional love, we thank our Association members, as well as many others from around the globe who have come together to help our Ukrainian brothers and sisters. In Heaven’s loving guidance, may they find safety and comfort, as we pray for compassion to lead the way to lasting peace on our planet.

United Kingdom opens first “smart prison” in Northamptonshire to rehabilitate prisoners and deter future crime. The new HMP Five Wells Category C jail will offer a multitude of educational and training opportunities to help inmates get jobs once released, thus eliminating repeat offenders and causing an overall decrease in crime.The new prison contains many classrooms and will host 24 workshops, with some courses including coding, car and truck maintenance, plumbing, engineering, and fork-lift operation. Prisoners will have access to smart tablets for education while in their prison cell and more.In an effort to transition inmates successfully back into their communities, the prison will work directly with employers to offer 500 on-job training places involving temporary release leading to permanent jobs once their time is served.What benevolent news, Britain and the HMP Five Wells, of your kindhearted efforts to ensure incarcerees have a brighter future. We pray this initiative leads to the rehabilitation of many, in Heavenly splendor.

In celebration of the 5th International Artist Day, our Association members in Taiwan (Formosa) organized a three-day art exhibition at the Taipei Music Center displaying the fascinating works of nearly 300 local artists. A special part of the exhibit featured the luminescent creations of Supreme Master Ching Hai, including Her Longevity Lamp designs, paintings, photographs, and painted fans. In 2018, Master designated April 3rd as International Artist Day to honor the world’s gifted artists of all fields. In joyful tribute this year, talented Taiwanese (Formosan) artists of diverse genres came together to stage an entrancing musical titled “Light & Sound: Keys of Ancient Love,” which set to music some of Master’s profound poems while also showing images of Her paintings. The musical told a story of the soul’s journey and struggle to transcend the ephemeral world. The cast included top Taiwanese (Formosan) artists: renowned actor Soda Voyu, who also directed the piece; famed vegetarian singer Chyi Yu, and acclaimed actress Yen Ling Hsu as the narrator.Before the spectacular performance, Master graciously had taken time from Her intensive meditation retreat for the planet to send a message for the artists as well as the 3,000-plus art lovers in attendance.“Beloved and wonderful artists and admiring viewers, time passes so quickly. It’s already the fifth anniversary of the International Artist Day. We, the entire world population, greet you with joy and gladness. It’s such a blessing that we can still have the fortune to see your talents in full bloom. Remembering all the past years’ beautiful performances, and all your contributions, ever since we can remember, to world happiness, we thank you, and wish that we could all be there in person. We still, with high tech nowadays, can see all its splendor in a later broadcast. The whole world’s viewers will be in a daze. So, this is just a quick note to wish you all an amazing time. Embracing you all, in God’s Love. Wishing all of you good health and joy. Love you so much, so much, high-class artists. God Bless.” The participating artists expressed their sincere gratitude to Supreme Master Ching Hai for Her love and for creating the International Artist Day as one of Her many uplifting endeavors. We too appreciate Master’s reminders to hold on to beauty, nobility and inspiration in this difficult world. Our thankfulness also goes to the world’s artists for the wonders you do for our hearts and minds. May Heavens keep you well and your creativity vibrantly alive. For the full broadcast of this marvelous event, please tune to A Journey through Aesthetic Realms at a later date.

The Flemish parliament that serves the Flanders region of Belgium recently approved stricter punishments for animal-people abusers, which includes up to 10 years in prison.Those harming people from the animal kingdom can initially receive up to five years in prison and €800,000 in fines for their first offense of serious neglect or mistreatment. Repeat offenders can be fined up to €1.6 million and receive an additional 5 years in prison. The new law also allows the immediate detainment of perpetrators, and proceeds from the fines will be used to support the Animal Welfare Fund, which helps to care for animal-people who have been taken from violators.Our gratefulness, Flemish government, for your noble actions to ensure the protection of our animal-people friends. In the caring guidance of the Providence, may your benevolent lawmaking be emulated by governments worldwide as we ensure the safety and dignity of all beings.

In response to the ongoing conflict and urgent humanitarian situation in Ukraine, on March 4, 2022, Supreme Master Ching Hai lovingly contributed US$100,000 through Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to help the vulnerable people of Ukraine. Master also conveyed the following message: “We donated to Ukraine for essentials, hope others would do so as well.” In humble support of the noble Ukrainians, our Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association members from Taiwan (Formosa) launched a “Send Love to Ukraine!” campaign to collect donations at a local Loving Hut vegan shop in early March. With contributions from our Association members, including from overseas, as well as the local Taiwanese (Formosan) community, relief supplies worth US$71,000 were gathered, comprised of non-perishable food items, new warm clothing, blankets, and hygiene products. The four truckloads of goods were then delivered to a collection point as part of a donation drive conducted by Taiwanese (Formosan) government. Meanwhile, closer to Ukraine, our Association members from Hungary have been working on various relief efforts, with several housing Ukrainian refugees in their homes. Hundreds of vegan sandwiches were freshly prepared and delivered to different train stations, along with vegan snacks and drinks, face masks, and basic necessities for refugees and their animal-person companions. At the airport, where exhausted refugees sometimes had to wait long periods, our Association members helped to fill the need for camping beds at the airport chapel and also brought hearty vegan sandwiches, a large hot water dispenser, plus new clothes and shoes for displaced children. All the items were happily received, especially the vegan sandwiches as many had begun observing the Lent religious fasting season even during their ordeal. We are profoundly grateful for Supreme Master Ching Hai’s inspiring example of compassion and love toward those in need, and thank our Association members and all involved groups and individuals for your diligent efforts. May God shield the gentle-spirited Ukrainian people as we pray hard for peace in their homeland.

In an interview with the major German newspaper “Der Spiegel,” the Federal Minister of Health, His Excellency Professor Karl Lauterbach, recently stated that meat from animal-people should be taxed, while vegan meat products should be subsidized to benefit the climate and public health as well as avoid animal cruelty.Last year, Germany’s coalition government members signed an agreement affirming a policy of promoting meat analogs that states, “We will strengthen plant-based alternatives and advocate for the approval of innovations such as alternative protein sources and meat substitute products in the European Union.”Germany is a Shining World Caring Leadership Award and Shining World Leadership Awards for Compassion and Wise Governance laureate.Our applause, Your Excellency Professor Karl Lauterbach, for your wise call for Germany to support meat alternatives. In the grace of the Divine, may your plan be expeditiously implemented as the noble European people help lead the world into the Golden Age of peace.

A study conducted by Kieskompas, a Dutch voting website, along with the Vrije University Amsterdam, and commissioned by ProVeg Netherlands, a nongovernmental organization, surveyed 8,575 Dutch people on their views about meat and the use of animal-people in the food industry. Approximately 80% of people who participated acknowledged that they are uncomfortable with the way animal-people are used for food. About 28% of the citizens expressed wanting a meat-free country, while 60% want to prohibit animal-people factories.Thanks, Dutch researchers, for your interesting findings which reveal the vegan tendencies of the kind people of the Netherlands. In Heaven’s splendor, may all humans soon awaken and return to their original, loving compassionate selves to become vegan for life.

European Parliament promotes plant-based foods to reduce cancer. The European Parliament recently adopted the European Union Beating Cancer resolution, allocating €170 million to encourage member states to adopt more sustainable and healthier food systems. The resolution highlights whole grains, legumes, fresh fruits and vegetables as well as plant-based foods to help save people from cancer. Around 3.7 million new cases of cancer are identified in Europe each year. Furthermore, 1.9 million Europeans lose their lives annually to the disease, with meat being recognized by the World Health Organization as a leading cause.The resolution also requests more investment in non-animal-people-based biomedical testing, to help reduce the unnecessary torture and death of animal-people.The European Union is a recipient of four Shining World Leadership Awards for Humanitarianism, two Shining World Leadership Awards for Peace, and a Shining World Leadership Award for Earth Protection; as well as a laureate of two Shining World Leadership Awards for Humanitarianism, and Shining World Leadership Awards for Compassion, Unconditional World Care and True Caring.Promising news, European Parliament, on your recognition of the devastating effects of meat consumption on health, and your encouragement of member states to promote vegan food. In God’s Magnanimity, may you lead the world with more compassionate, life-saving and peaceful policies, as we move into an enlightened vegan era.

Dr. Hana Kahleova and Shining World Compassion Award recipient Dr. Neal Barnard of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine have published a commentary in the “European Journal of Clinical Nutrition” that discusses recent research on how a plant-based diet lessens COVID intensity.One study with nearly 600,000 participants found that “a dietary pattern characterized by healthy plant-based foods was associated with a 9% lower risk of COVID-19 infection and a 41% lower risk of severe COVID-19.”The commentary also cited another investigation where healthcare workers following a plant-based diet had a 73% lower chance of suffering moderate to severe COVID-19.The team noted that Okinawa, Japan, whose population follow mostly a plant-based diet and have long lifespans, have a significantly lower COVID death rate compared to Tokyo. They suggest that because of the low prevalence of chronic diseases caused by consuming animal-people products in Okinawa compared to Tokyo, the coronavirus has not been as deadly.Thank you, Drs. Hana Kahleova and Neal Barnard for helping to highlight the relationship between meat consumption and COVID-19 severity. May all people on the planet now be aware of the extreme dangers of consuming animal-person based-foods, in God’s Mercy.

In light of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, on March 4, 2022, Supreme Master Ching Hai arranged for a loving contribution of US$100,000 to be sent to help the vulnerable people of Ukraine in their critical time of need. Master provided the following thoughtful message, “We donated to Ukraine for essentials, hope others would do so as well.” Our sincere prayers and peace wishes go to all the innocent people affected by the war in Ukraine. May God’s loving protection be with you always.

Oslo in Norway recently declared that vegetarian food must be provided at all city events featuring food. If somebody wants to consume the flesh of an animal-person, they must make a special request beforehand.The move is a part of the city’s plan to reduce meat consumption by 50% in the municipality and will apply to all departments, including the Education Agency, Fire and Rescue Agency, Munch Museum and more. Our appreciation,Oslo municipality, for your action that encourages the avoidance of meat. May all governments soon completely ban the consumption of people from the animal-kingdom, as we create communities based on loving kindness and respect for all beings, in God’s Light.

Tyrone O'Doherty, a Ph.D. student at Curtin University in Perth, recently found a previously unknown object within our galaxy that emits a burst of radio waves for one minute every 18 minutes and 18 seconds. The signal was picked up using the Murchison Widefield Array telescope in the Western Australian desert, using a technique that Mr. O'Doherty had developed. In a February 8, 2022 phone call with some of the Supreme Master TV team members, Supreme Master Ching Hai explained the spiritual reason behind the existence of this object. “(Yes, Master. The scientists detected a radio burst from the center of the galaxy. Could Master please explain this phenomenon?) Ah, it is because of Heaven’s countermeasure (Oh!) to all this negative energy that is beaming into our world, trying to help, because of our prayers, because of my prayers also, of course.” The research team, led by astrophysicist Dr. Natasha Hurley-Walker, believes that the source, which is 4,000 light-years from Earth, may be an ultra-long-period magnetar, which is a slowly spinning neutron star that is left behind after a supergiant star collapses. Congratulations, Tyrone O'Doherty, on this amazing discovery. In Celestial harmony, may we cherish our human existence within the universe, and always improve our noble quality by serving others in love.

“MILKED” uncoversshocking truths about New Zealand’s dairy business. This documentarypremiered at the New Zealand International Film Festival and then was screenedthroughout the nation in November 2021. It exposes the dangerous lies of NewZealand’s multi-billion-dollar dairy sector.Providing eye-opening insightsinto one of the most destructive industries on Earth, the film follows a youngactivist, Chris Huriwai, who travels across Aotearoa (New Zealand) tounderstand how the country became the world’s largest exporter of dairyproducts and the detrimental effects of their production on the environment andhealth.Featuring high-profile interviews with environmentalist, and the film’sexecutive producer, Suzy Amis Cameron, renowned primatologist andconservationist Dame Dr. Jane Goodall, a Shining World Compassion Awardrecipient, and “Cowspiracy” co-director and “MILKED” executive producer KeeganKuhn, also a Shining World Compassion Award recipient, the documentary revealsthe behind-the-scenes reality of the dairy whitewash.Our heartfelt gratitudeto all who collaborated to achieve this impactful, noble work. For a viablefuture, may everyone quickly wake up and focus on a new way of compassionateliving through the plant-based lifestyle, in God’s Mercy.

A law banning plastic packaging for fresh fruits andvegetables came into effect in France at the start of 2022. Thirty types ofwidely sold fruits and vegetables, including cucumbers, peppers, bananas, andoranges, must now be sold without any plastic wrapping. Some produce, such ascherry tomatoes, raspberries and blueberries, will initially be excluded toallow time for alternative packaging to be found for these items, but by 2026,all varieties of fruits and vegetables will be required to be soldplastic-free. It is expected to strengthen the environment and oceanhealth by eliminating more than 1 billion items of single-use plastic packagingannually. Additionally, France has a law to phase out usage of all forms ofsingle-use plastics by 2040. Bravo, France, for your leadership in sustainablepackaging! May all lives become better with laws supporting eco-friendlylifestyles in harmony with Nature, in Divine shelter.

On December 21, 2021, the Italian Senatevoted to approve a budget law that prohibits the breeding, capturing, andkilling of fur-bearing animal-persons including mink-, fox-, raccoon dog- andchinchilla- people. The budget amendment also requires all active fur production sites in the country to be closed by June 30, 2022. The vote followed Italian Member ofParliament, the Honorable Michela Vittoria Brambilla’s endorsement of the furoperation conversion proposal presented by Humane Society International/Europe.It is a strategic solution to close and convert the facilities into humane andsustainable businesses, thus addressing animal-people cruelty and the risks ofzoonotic diseases arising from the abysmal industry. Human SocietyInternational is a Shining World Compassion Award recipient and a Shining WorldProtection Award laureate. Italy is a Shining World Leadership Award for PublicHealth Protection recipient. Bravo, Italian Senate, the HonorableMichela Vittoria Brambilla, and Human Society International/Europe. May allcountries implement laws to safeguard every cherished individual from theanimal kingdom, in Celestial benevolence.

In the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association Relief News from India…The remote and mountainous regions of India are known for their harsh winter months, which can be particularly challenging for the holy land’s wandering monks and nuns. Understanding firsthand the hardships they endure, Supreme Master Ching Hai (as in the past years) recently offered US$40,000 and asked our Association members to bring them necessities. Over several weeks in December, our Association relief teams in India delivered care packages, consisting of thousands of items including warm clothes, blankets, shoes, socks, and hats, to bring a little comfort to some of the spiritual practitioners during their winter retreats.

City councillor inUK turns vegan and vastly improves long-haul COVID condition. Shaista Aziz, Labour Councillor for Oxford CityCouncil in the United Kingdom, recently wrote a column in “The Guardian”newspaper describing how she had turned to veganism to assist in recoveringfrom long-haul COVID symptoms. The many benefits from her switching to aplant-based diet have included decreased inflammation, more energy and bettersleep.She also has found that vegan food is reasonably priced and many of thedishes she grew up with as part of her Pakistani heritage are plant-based orcan be easily veganized.In fact, Ms. Aziz called her adoption of the vegandiet “one of the best decisions of her life.” She also describes coming to therealization that by adopting veganism “we can create healthier and more equalsocieties” through conscious awareness of how we eat and live.We are so happyto hear of your transition to the vegan diet and all the benefits you haveexperienced, Shaista Aziz. May all people realize that leaving animal-peopleoff the plate is the only path to recover our health and humanity, in Heavenlycompassion.