Press Release - For immediate release 02th April 2015

The first Mr Vegan in the world became gusla player from Russia!

All photo by Sergey Kozin Photo: MagCity74

On International Day Without Meat – March 20 – in Russian town Magnitogorsk, which located in Ural, where meet Europe and Asia, occurred an event, which is grand in scale and importance for the planet. The first competition in the world among vegan men “Mr Vegan” was ended. A finalist of the contest became 28 aged gusla player Stepan Yefremov, singer of traditional songs and IT specialist.

“I want to believe if the person realizes his love to animals, his hatred to the other people will be impossible. If at least 50-60% people on Earth will be vegans - all wars end forever. Go Vegan!” said in interview vegan-“Sadko” to journalists.

Everyone knows that amount of vegans on our planet, including Russia, is rapidly increasing! People choose the vegan way of life because of compassion to animals and wanting to protect our planet which existence is under threat under livestock sector and its expanding scope.

In Russia vegan movement has been becoming more and more noticeable each year: from 1100 cities existing in the country, 900’ve already had ethic vegetarian and vegan communities.

The competition of kindness and strength “Mr Vegan” held in three phases: “Casting”, “Photoset”, “Sports”, “Intellectual” and “Press conference”. The final reached, as was intended, the “magnificent seven”: dubbing actor, powerlifter, engineer, animator-philosopher, builder, historian and gusla player.

It is not the first competition among vegans which was held in the capital of coal and metal. In last year in Magnitogorsk was held and caused a big resonance the “Ms Vegan” competition. The initiator, organizer and presenter of both contests became TV and radio presenter, beautiful vegan Alfia Karimova.

The chairman of the “Mr Vegan” jury became the theatre and film actress, the singer, the owner of a brown belt in karate, the vegan Linda Nigmatulina who specially arrived to the final of the contest with the VITA owners – Irina Novozhilova and Konstantin Sabinin. Honorary members were also:  Aleksandr Schogolev, the 2007 world bodybuilding champion on the version WFF and the first “Ms Vegan”, Larissa Tarakanova. Ten-time world champion in rhythmic gymnastics, honored master of sports of Russia and vegetarian Olga Kapranova also warmly supported the contest, whose signature decorated the diplomas of the winners.

Within 3 hours of the event, on the stage competitors had destroyed all of centuries-old stereotypes in relation to vegans and vegetarians. They broke bricks by their hands, showed elements of yoga, demonstrated karate and JIU-jitsu chop actions, arranged the bodybuilder show with demonstration of power and beauty of their bodies. During the intellectual contest competitors had disclosed hall the no-harm philosophy and empathy in relation to the surrounding world, answering the tricky quiz questions. The culinary stage of the competition had struck on the spot the auditory and the jury by abundance and refinement of vegan dishes: soup, pilaf, roast, salad, pancakes and even rawfood candies!

And, of course, the audience saw the clothes and shoes which vegans wear. It excludes leather, fur, feathers and wool. The participants showed the collection of winter jackets on “Hollowfiber”, winter boots on “Thinsulate” insulation and other ethic materials, evening shoes made of ethic leather imitation and also the collection of club jackets without even 1% of wool.

Highlights of the evening were also musical composition from etnotheatre “Efy” with the participation  of finalist Stepan Efremov, the show of ethic fur coats “Only Me” made of artificial materials with participation of models-vegans, elegant waltz and the catchy song by Linda Nigmatulina. Musical support of the evening was organized exclusively by compositions of famous vegans and vegetarians.

All the participants were awarded in individual nomination: “Mr Chef”, “Mr Style”, “Mr Popularity” and so on. The presents were gifted by ethic sponsors: the “Health food” shop, ethic LUSH cosmetics and etc.

Photo by Sergey Kozin

Original in Russian: http://www.vita.org.ru/new/2015/apr/02.htm

VITA Animal Rights Center, Russia