About / Our History
Founding a global convening network: AVA’s history
Built to align advocates and accelerate systemic change for animals around the world.
AVA began as a fiscally sponsored initiative and quickly grew into an independent international nonprofit producing high-impact events across regions. Each year has expanded our reach and refined our model — uniting advocates in person, strengthening strategy, and building the infrastructure for a coordinated global movement for farmed animals.
2021
AVA was conceived in 2021. After surveying more than 60 key stakeholders, movement leaders, and major funders, there was an overwhelming consensus: It was time to produce a modern, professional, diverse, and impact-oriented overarching conference for farmed animal, wild animal, and vegan advocates:
Because uniting the movement, reducing infighting, and strengthening cross-organizational connections is crucial for creating systemic change.
Because a professional flagship conference elevates the reputation of our whole movement.
Because it empowers advocates from the Global Majority and neglected regions by increasing their visibility and providing a platform for learning and networking opportunities.
Sebastian Joy, Co-Founder and President of ProVeg International, kickstarted what became the first AVA Summit in close collaboration with Dawn Moncrief, Founder and President of A Well-Fed World, and Meghan O'Brien Lowery, Director and Partner of the Greenbaum Foundation. All three provided and continue to provide guidance and support, and they played an absolutely crucial role in getting AVA off the ground in 2021.
2022
Michael Webermann, at that time US Executive Director of ProVeg International, and Sebastian Joy created, branded, and co-founded AVA, and it is thanks to their dedication, knowledge, and reputation, that the Summits immediately became the go-to for advocates working or wanting to work in our movement professionally.
Michael built the roots of the project together with Amanda Cramer, who also created the first LEAD for Farmed Animals workshop at that time.
Shortly after, Sebastian brought on Julia Reinelt to lead the AVA team and grow the events internationally. Julia had previously created the New Food Conference, built up the first incubator for alternative protein startups in Europe, and worked in strategic planning, impact evaluation, and organizational development.
The inaugural AVA Summit 2022 in the US met all its primary goals, being the largest movement event since before the pandemic, being substantially more international than any previous similar event, and having an increased focus on the most neglected animals.
2023
In 2023, the AVA Summit in the US event became even bigger, more diverse, and more international with 215+ organizations and over 750 attendees from 47 different countries.
In the same year, AVA cooperated with Asia for Animals to create the first in-person conference for farmed animal advocates in Southeast Asia: Asia Farm Animal Day.
2024
While ProVeg provided full fiscal sponsorship and operational support to ensure AVA’s stability from the start, AVA did spin off in 2024 to be its own independent organization in light of its immediate success, popularity, and growth potential. All AVA events are now being organized by the US-based nonprofit organization Animal & Vegan Advocacy (AVA) International.
AVA DC in May 2024 brought together 800+ advocates for a transformative experience in the US. Later that year, AVA returned to Hanoi, Vietnam, for the second in-person Asia Farm Animal Day (AFAD), doubling in size compared to 2023. Moving forward, AFAD transitions back to its original online format, while the in-person event evolves into AVA Asia, becoming even larger.
2024 also marked AVA’s first-ever event in Latin America. Held in collaboration with Sociedade Vegetariana Brasileira (SVB)’s VegFest, the São Paulo event welcomed over 800 attendees, celebrating the strength and diversity of advocacy in the region.
From its inception, AVA International has been driven by a vision of uniting advocates in-person to create systemic change for farmed animals worldwide. With each event, the organization continues to foster collaboration, amplify diverse voices, and expand its global impact
2025
In 2025, we expanded our core team, now consisting of locals from 5 world regions, reflecting the global movement we serve.
2025 was also a maturity year for AVA. We re-rooted our policies, decision-making systems, and internal operations into a more aligned and cohesive foundation. We established our Senior Leadership Team and evolved the structure of our Advisory Committees to better reflect their strategic, not operational, role in guiding regional relevance and movement alignment.
Across the year, AVA delivered three global Summits, one Grantee Day, and two Academies — including a one-day pilot in the U.S. and a full three-day Academy in India — continuing to strengthen strategy, capacity, and coordination across regions. With AVA Summit Argentina opening 2026, AVA closes the year with strong momentum and a durable structure to support the next phase of global impact.
Check out our upcoming events to see if there’s an AVA event near you, or travel to meet us anywhere!
We’d love to see you there! We look forward to welcoming you into our vibrant community working to advance systemic change for animals.
