The Animals and Society Institute and the Culture and Animals Foundation are pleased to announce plans for “Speaking Their Truth,” the 23rd annual International Compassionate Living Festival, which will take place October 3-5, 2008, at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center in Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina.
CAF and the ASI are again working together to create a unique educational and inspirational event that brings together authors, scholars, activists and artists united for nonviolent social change for all animals.
We hope you will mark your calendar now and make plans to join us in October – below is a preview of some of our special guests.
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"Speaking Their Truth"
Animal activists have long been the "voice of the voiceless," speaking out for animals who cannot defend themselves from human abuses or make the case for the protection of their own rights.
But some nonhuman animals have bridged the communication gap by using symbols, computers, sign language and even speech to give us a glimpse into their minds. One such individual was Alex, an African gray parrot whose human companion, Dr. Irene Pepperberg of Brandeis University, taught him a large vocabulary that he used not only to demonstrate his considerable intelligence but also to express his desires and feelings.
Alex passed away last fall, but the 30 years he spent with Dr. Pepperberg resulted in a very special human-animal bond and amazing insight into the mind of a remarkable bird. Alex spoke his own truth, and in doing so, challenged conventional notions about animal minds. Proving that nonhuman animals think and feel on many levels makes exploiting and harming them even more indefensible.
The Culture and Animals Foundation and the Animals and Society Institute are pleased to welcome Dr. Irene Pepperberg as our keynote speaker for "Speaking Their Truth," the 23rd annual International Compassionate Living Festival. Dr. Pepperberg will tell the story of her relationship with Alex and how he helped change the way the world views other animals.
Click here to learn more about Alex and Dr. Pepperberg
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Our Other Distinguished Speakers
In addition to Dr. Pepperberg, we also will welcome the following excellent presenters at "Speaking Their Truth":
Michael Mountain, president of Best Friends Animal Society, whose facility in Utah is providing physical and emotional rehabilitation to some of Michael Vick's abused pit bull dogs
Gianluca Felicetti, the head of Italy's most prominent animal rights and antivivisection group
Norm Phelps, author of "The Longest Struggle: Animal Advocacy from Pythagoras to PETA"
Dr. Lori Marino, a neuroscience lecturer and marine mammal expert at Emory University
Dr. Leslie Irvine of the University of Colorado at Boulder, whose latest book, "If You Tame Me," focuses on animals and their sense of self
We will also feature two panels, one on business and economic strategies (led by Jennifer Fearing of the Humane Society of the United States, Ché Green of the Humane Research Council, and Adam Durand of Compassionate Consumers) and another on political organizing (moderated by Kim W. Stallwood).
Our opening night will feature the witty insight of artist Dan Piraro of "Bizarro" fame, and we will again conclude with the thoughtful inspiration of Dr. Tom Regan.
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Please Join Us in October!
Animal Advocates, we hope you will make plans to join me, Tom and Nancy Regan, and many of your fellow advocates on October 3-5 for what we know will be yet another meaningful gathering of "thinking activists" and "activist thinkers."
We will soon be mailing out our registration materials and making online registration available via our web site, www.animalsandsociety.org. Please stay tuned for further updates, and pass the word along to interested friends and colleagues so they can join us as well.
We appreciate all of the support that makes "Speaking Their Truth" and other programs possible. We look forward to seeing you in October!
Sincerely,
Ken Shapiro
Executive Director