2024 China Vegan Summit · October 13-15, Suzhou, China

Speakers

Jian Yi 简艺

  • Jian (简艺/簡藝) is an independent filmmaker and food activist. He is a Post-Masters Fellow at the Ash Center of the Harvard Kennedy School (2022-23), and was a Gleitsman Leadership Fellow at the Harvard Center for Public Leadership (2021), a Yale World Fellow (2009), an India-China Fellow (2008), an Asia 21 Young Leader (2010), an Asian Cultural Council grantee (2008), and a Cambridge University visiting fellow (2007). He co-presides the Harvard Behavior Insights Student Group (BISG).

    Jian is the founder and president of Good Food Fund, a leading initiative in China’s food systems transformation, whose Mama’s Kitchen project was named one of the ten global Top Visionaries by the Rockefeller Foundation’s 2050 Food Systems Prize. In 2021, Jian served on the Core Leadership Team of Action Track 2 of the United Nations Food Systems Summit and led its Work-stream on Food Environments. He founded the China Vegan Society in 2021 and is at the forefront of the nation’s plant-based movement.

    Since 2007, Jian’s films have won awards in international film festivals and have been shown across the globe, including at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In 2008, he co-founded IFChina, a civic-engagement organization focusing on documenting social memories, and lived in a Buddhist monastery for two full years between 2012 and 2014. Jian earned an MC/MPA degree from the Harvard Kennedy School (2022), an MA in Journalism from the Communication University of China (1999) and an MA in Peace Studies from the University of Notre Dame (1998), where he earned a Distinguished Alumni Award (2015).

    https://animal.law.harvard.edu/team-member/yi-jian/

Anya 安雅

  • Alchemy Crystal Bowls Artist

    Sound & Music Meditation Facilitator Artistic Creative Director

    International Sound Healers Association Tomatis Certified Trainer

    China Certified Emotional Therapist

    Eckhart Tolle’s Certified Teacher of Presence Eartheart and Music For Love Founder

    Born in Taiwan, Anya grew up in New York and has also lived in Hong Kong, Beijing, and now resides in Shanghai. Growing up, music has always been part of her life; in her youth she was in a competitive choir as well as orchestra, played 1st chair in violin and also the bass. In her 20s, she was signed by a record label as a singer, became the 1st girl DJ in Taiwan using old school turntables, and also became an actress, playing many leading roles in action movies.

    Over the last 15 years, especially after becoming a mother, she has been immersed in her personal journey of inner growth, learning from teachers from all over the world. She is certified in many holistic integrative healing systems. About 10 years ago, she connected with the alchemy crystal bowls, and started her journey of using “sound” and music for meditation as her main modality. Alchemy Crystal Bowls are powerful instruments in which the elements combined with the frequencies can relax, heal, align, and enhance the body, mind and spirit on many levels. During her sharing and events, her natural feel for music combined with her inner growth, allows her to play and sing intuitively. The alchemy crystal bowls' frequencies along with her soothing voice engages and connects deeply with her audience and the surroundings, and brings many different wonderful experiences to listeners.

    Anya, as a veteran sound and music meditation creator, is passionate, innovative and experimental in crossover collaborations with different artistic mediums for meditation.

    Over the years, she has continuously collaborated with different teachers/artists/musicians.

    She has created many unique music meditation events, and her sensitivity to sounds, frequencies, music, and people has lead her to discover and promote certain musicians and instruments that can be used for “ sound and music meditation ” and she has guided them to explore inner growth and new artistic approaches to their music by integrating an additional layer of intention. Also her past background as a DJ works to her advantage, because each event she acts as the DJ in intuitively creating the flow of the musicians and the music collaboration between everyone.

    Wanting to contribute back to society as well as be a part of promoting sound and music for meditation, Anya founded Eartheart and Music For Love platforms. Eartheart and Music For Love serves as platforms that provides teachers, writers , speakers and products that assist people in empowering themselves and living life to their fullest potential, in harmony with oneself, others, and nature.

    Anya is also a visionary, a role model and a philanthropist along with her husband. Together they are dedicated in modernizing the wisdom of ancient cultures in collaboration with the advanced technologies of today, promoting healthier and sustainable systems of life education and life science.

    She is passionate about spreading wellness for the mind, body, and soul. She inspires to use music, dance, and the arts to create experiences that is beneficial to calming the mind, aligning the body, nourishing the heart, and inspiring to live a life of connection and harmony. She is very creative and skilled at creating sound/music meditation/wellness events, programs, and journeys for the corporate world. She is involved in many charity foundations and speaks at conferences that empower and inspire women. She strives to live her life to her highest potential and hopes that she can do her part in making a positive difference in this world for younger generations to come.

  • Mr. Kong Zhong (Zhonghe), 78th-Generation Descendant of Confucius and President of the World Confucius Descendants Association

Kong Zhong 孔众

Thomas Goodman

  • Thomas has been a lifelong admirer of animals, was raised vegetarian from birth and later became a professional advocate in 2014. He has since worked in various initiatives such as corporate outreach, federal state and regulatory advocacy, promotion of Meatless Mondays, leafleting across North America, public speaking, campaigning, community organizing, and more for the animal protection movement.

Rakefet Cohen Ben-Arye

  • As a vegan social psychology Ph.D. student, I explore promoting veganism through research and scientific consultation to Animals Now with 168,000 followers, ACE's top charity, Good Food Institute, and Vegan-Friendly with 155,000 followers. Our work has been recognized in academia, with a publication in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, ranked 15th out of 228 in multidisciplinary psychology (93.3% percentile) according to the JCR and 19th out of 304 in social psychology (93.8% percentile) in SJR. I have also been a teaching assistant in statistics and presented at the Animal Advocacy Conference, ICSD, SPUDM, SJDM, and SPSP.

  • Kibirige Musisi Mike, born and raised in Uganda, vegan eductor ,Altruist , Social activist and enterprenuer . Founder Love for all Uganda (Luv4all:Uganda) Director at Atlas vegan community school Uganda, the first vegan school in Uganda Director at Atlas vegan vocational training institute.

Kibirige Musisi Mike

Tom Cohen Ben-Arye

  • Dr. Tom Cohen Ben-Arye has been working in the field of alternative protein for 15 years. He developed a cultivated meat technology, which was published in Nature Food, and was the basis of Aleph-Farms. He was a part of the founding team and lead scientist of the non-profits The Good Food Institute Israel and the Modern Agriculture Foundation, which established the field of alternative proteins in Israel, where he managed projects with the government, industry, and academia. He was a lecturer at the Hebrew University, Tel Aviv University, and Ben-Gurion University, where he established courses on alternative protein.

    His paper on the development of cultivated meat, that was published in Nature Food and was highlighted in Nature China.

    https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-020-0046-5 http://www.naturechina.com/articles/35

樂百善 Sebastian Joy

  • I am the founding president of ProVeg International, a global food awareness organization. I have co-founded the Animal and Vegan Advocacy Summit and the worlds first incubator for alt protein startups which has helped launch over 100 companies to date. I have taught social entrepreneurship at the Berlin School of Economics and Law, and recently launched Kickstarting for Good, an new incubation and accelerator program designed to support impactful nonprofits. I live in Berlin with my wife Dr. Melanie Joy.

  • Sam Tucker is the founder of Open Paws, a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring the future of AI benefits all sentient beings. With 15 years of experience in animal advocacy, he offers a unique perspective and deep understanding of how AI can further our cause.

    https://www.openpaws.ai/

Sam Tucker

Kaho Nishibu

  • I am a social justice activist and researcher currently based in Ontario, Canada, and currently working for Animal Alliance Asia as a Program and Research Coordinator, with an aim to build a more inclusive and sustainable movement across Asia. My vegan and animal justice activism started in 2018, and since then I have participated in street and campus outreach, and vegan education. With my academic training in Critical Animal Studies, I have also helped organize an academic conference, as well as facilitated workshops on intersectional, anti-oppressive, and culturally sensitive veganism and animal justice advocacy.

Elly Nakajima

  • Co-founder and executive director of Animal Alliance Asia, a movement building organisation working with animal justice advocates over 7 Asian countries to offer culturally relevant interventions to normalise plant-based food, decrease animal consumption, and increase awareness of animal justice.

Surajan Shrestha

  • As an animal activist with over 12 years of experience, I am a dedicated vegan and the founder of the Animal Rights Club (ARC) - Nepal, working voluntarily to protect animals of all kinds and for environmental conservation. Currently, I serve as the Country Coordinator for Animal Alliance Asia (AAA) in Nepal, advocating for policy changes to end the inhumane transportation of farmed animals.

Mick McIntyre

  • Mick McIntyre is a passionate advocate for animals and an award-winning filmmaker. His work includes the feature films Kangaroo: A Love-Hate Story, Yogawoman, What to do about Whales?, and Eating Plants, a 12-part docuseries exploring the plant-based food trend that’s growing around the world. Mick combines his work as a filmmaker with giving his time fighting for wildlife protection. He is Director of Whales Alive and for over 20 years has campaigned to end whaling. In 2019 he co-founded Kangaroos Alive, a nonprofit dedicated to the ethical treatment of kangaroos. Mick has been a vegan for over 25 years.

    Second Nature Films | LinkedIn

Poppy Permatasari

  • Poppy was born and raised in Indonesia, she took part in the Sentient Media Social Media Fellowship 2022 as a team leader for Radical Kindness. Indonesia Country Coordinator with Animal Alliance Asia. She is a grassroot animal activist who seeks a way to gradually empower the community through mentorship with Animal Activism Mentorship locally and internationally. She feels strongly that animal rights, like all social justice issues, needs to be approached through collaboration with any existential issues.

Jessika Ava

  • Jessika Ava is the CEO of Thrive Philanthropy, one of the key grantmakers in the vegan space. Jessika has been working in the vegan philanthropy space for nearly 15 years and her work has facilitated the expansion of the vegan movement in over 70 countries across the world. She specializes in bridging the gap between Global South organizations and Western funding opportunities. Her areas of expertise include high-impact meat reduction tactics, impact measurement, nonprofit leadership, and grassroots fundraising.

    She lives in Nepal and USA and previously in India and has been involved in the Asia animal movement for 15 years.

Noh Jangsuh

  • Researcher in the field of faith-based consumption as co-founder and CEO of the Korea Vegan Society and the Korea Institute of Halal Industry.

Andrew Knight

  • Andrew Knight is a veterinary Professor of animal welfare affiliated with three universities including Murdoch University School of Veterinary Medicine. He is a UK, European, American and New Zealand veterinary specialist in animal welfare. His second PhD studied vegan pet diets: health, behavioural and environmental sustainability implications. His studies on vegan pet food are regularly reported in news outlets globally and have been covered by leading outlets such as New Scientist. He often works with animal advocacy charities, and is frequently interviewed by the media. He has received over 20 awards and research grants for this work.

Ma Yong 马勇

  • Located in Ubud, Empathy School is a nature school that offers emotionally-intelligent, hands-on education for children aged two to 14. Developed at Harvard, Empathy School International follows the latest research in holistic and evidence-based education. We believe that through exposure to nature, individualized focus, and a strong foundation in social-emotional learning, our students will grow to become the compassionate leaders and change-makers of tomorrow. Aligning with its mission of educating future generations in empathy and nonviolence, the school also serves only plant-based food.

    Website

Kiwoong Jung

  • Mr. Jung runs IGSC's vegan certification scheme and is also a board member of the Korean Vegan Society.

Mayumi Muroya

  • President, Japan Vegan Association, Ambassador, Ministry of the Environment, Representative Director, Beauty Food Association of Japan, Vegan for 17 years, Advocate of plant-based “beauty food” to convey the importance of diet. Appeared in various media and authored numerous books.

  • Wangzi'er is a professional bilingual emcee, gourmet scholar, vegan and sustainability advocate, Ambassador for Meatless Monday China, and host for the Belt and Road Summit. He won CCTV's "Emcee Challenge" and was selected by CCTV as one of the competition's "Most Charming Voices."

    Wangzi'er is committed to using his skills as an event host and public speaker to support events and initiatives that that promote healthy, compassionate, and sustainable lifestyles. Programs and international events he's hosted include the World Buddhist Forum, the World Yoga Conference, and several vegan festivals, vegan summits, and sports events. He has been invited to speak at Peking University, Tsinghua University, China National Petroleum Corporation, Zhongtian Group, and other influential institutions. His talks on "Enhancing Language Expressiveness" and "Balancing Body and Mind in Environmental Protection" have received high praise. Wangzi'er believes that by combining good intentions with skilled expression, people can create a better world inside and outside of themselves.

Wangzi’er 王子儿

Weidong Lu 陆维东

  • An advocate for whole-food plant-based diets, Weidong Lu is a Mindful Leadership coach and Conscious Business Consultant with more than 10 years of experience in mindfulness meditition. He founded the Conscious Business Circle and co-founded the China Organizational Evolution Conference. He has translated and edited books such as Conscious Leadership: Elevating Through Business (Mackey, Mcintosh, & Phipps, 2020); It Starts with One: Changing Individuals Changes Organizations (Black & Gregersen, 2013); Finding the Space to Lead: A Practical Guide to Mindful Leadership (Marturano, 2015); Mindful Coaching: How Mindfulness can Transform Coaching Practice (Hall, 2013); and Rebalancing Society: Radical Renewal Beyond Left, Right, and Center (Mintzberg, 2015).

Yves Ayoun 奕夫

  • Yoga philosophy teacher, international vegan chef, author, and a scholar with over 40 years of deep study in Sanskrit classics.

    Born in Paris, studied in India, previously settled in Australia, and now calling China home, she is a thinker and educator who travels the world, immersing herself in life while continuously distilling the wisdom of existence.

    For over a decade, she has organized numerous vegan culture workshops in China, led study tours to India, the land of veganism and yoga, and delivered speeches in various locations, tirelessly promoting the concept of harmonious coexistence between humans and the world, as well as between humans and nature.

王思琪 Siqi Wang

  • Siqi Wang is the China representative of abillion, a social marketplace with a goal to help a billion people go vegan. Founded in 2017, abillion has grown to become the world’s leading social marketplace dedicated to a more sustainable planet, with over 13 million users and 245,000 businesses in over 100 countries worldwide. The company has donated over US $3 million to animal welfare and conservation initiatives globally.

Szuching Chi 戚思晴

  • Longtime vegan and animal rights advocate Szuching was the celebrity liaison for PETA Asia before co-founding ECOBUYER, an ecommerce platform offering a curated selection of vegan and cruelty-free foods, cosmetics, and household products from sustainable brands. From a small boutique store, ECOBUYER has steadily expanded to serve consumers across the entire country, complementing its product offerings with vegan community events and educational social media content. She is also the co-founder of Earth Babe, one of China's only vegan podcasts.

    LinkedIn | ECOBUYER

Yangjun Zhang 章杨骏

  • Yangjun Zhang is the Investment Director at Dao Foods International and has many years of experience in marketing and HR consulting for Fortune 500 companies. Dao Foods is an impact-oriented investment firm that invests in plant-based and alternative protein companies based in mainland China and focused on the Chinese market, as well as non-Chinese companies that have some strategic value to China.

    Dao Foods

Navin Durbhakula

  • Navin is a Harvard University student with a custom major in Sustainable Food and Health Systems. He is the Co-Founder of Food 4 Thought Innovations, an international nonprofit that unites over 1,000 students, academics, and professionals in a coordinated future food ecosystem. He specializes in building regional hubs, which maximize the power of collaboration to create innovative solutions that are locally-driven and evidence-based. He also serves on various boards including the ProVeg International Youth Board and Harvard Presidential Committee on Sustainability (PCS) and was previously a representative at the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health.

Zhu Xuanchong 祝玄冲

  • 14th generation Taoist physician of the Wudang Xuanwu Sect, inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage of Taoist medicine in Wudang Mountain, Shiyan City, Hubei Province.

Tony Yip 叶常德

  • With over 30 years of experience in brand and business management for multinational companies, he began exploring growth and socially responsible business practices in 2018. He previously served as a strategic consultant at Yinyu and joined the China Vegan Society in 2022.

Ze’an Liu 刘则安

  • Liu Ze'an is the founder of Zhi Xing Zheng Dao Traditional Chinese Medicine Group, visiting professor of Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, general consultant of Hangzhou Barefoot Walking Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic, director of Fuxing Academy, and inheritor of ancient acupuncture techniques.

Shao Ran 邵然

  • a communicator for animal welfare and life education. Since 2017, she has been advocating for performing animals, calling for an end to the mistreatment of living beings. After two national tours, with the support of local volunteers and animal lovers, she successfully launched and organized the 'Ocean Orator Bilingual Speech Competition' and the 'Voice of Beings Bilingual Speech Competition,' covering topics related to performing animals, farm animals, laboratory animals, companion animals, working animals, and wildlife. Over the years, she has continued to organize public advocacy for non-human animals, hoping to inspire change through speech.

Dan Zhang 张丹

  • China Ambassador for World Animal Day and a Senior Consultant for Corporate Partnerships at World Animal Protection. She lives with several adopted former stray cats and graduated from Peking University's Chinese Department. Previously, she served as the China representative for Fortune's Global 500. She has compiled 'Surely All Beings Shine—Animal Chronicles 2020' and 'Animal Chronicles,' and authored works such as 'A Happy Life with Cats,' 'An Earth Citizen's Dream of Animal Protection,' 'I Am Lucky99—A Healing Cat Autobiography,' 'The Paw Prints Etched in Our Hearts,' and 'Another Time Meeting You—On Animal Protection/Veganism/Life.' She has also translated 'The Little Fox Saves the Clothes.'"

Tong Tong 童瞳

  • The founder member of Chinese Vegan Cosmetics Certification.

Emory Babb

  • Emory is a global brand expert working to bridge the divide between China and the West by telling the stories of great products created by great brands. He is the co-founder of Grassroots Foods, China's only domestic vegan creamery, which produces plant-based cheeses and ice creams from its base just outside of Beijing. Before launching Grassroots, he was the volunteer coordinator for the Vegans of Beijing monthly vegan market.

    LinkedIn | Grassroots

Changlin Dong 董长林

  • Changlin Dong has been in the restaurant industry for nearly 20 years. In 2012, he founded the vegan buffet restaurant chain Su Man Xiang, which has since launched more than 100 locations in more than 20 cities across China. Su Man Xiang was the first vegan restaurant chain to obtain the China Vegan Food Certification.

Xiaoya Liu 刘晓雅

  • She previously served as the Project Director at the Hong Kong Social Welfare Fund, Project Manager for the Early Childhood Reading Program at the Shenzhen Ai Yue Public Welfare Foundation, and co-founder and Secretary-General of the Dawang Friendly Community Promotion Association in Longhua New District, Shenzhen. She participated in editing and publishing a series of teacher's guides on children's quality education, including 'Learning Care: Cultivating Empathy and Responsibility' and 'Learning Kindness: Cultivating Empathy and Responsibility,' as well as a university general education course on 'The Meaning of Life and Personal Health.

Mochuan Zhang 张墨川

  • The founder member of Chinese Vegan Cosmetics Certification

Chef A-Jun 阿军

  • Chef A-Jun has been in the culinary industry for over 30 years and has been exploring plant-based cuisine for over 15 years. He developed the Light Veggie culinary concept which advocates plant-based ingredients, natural seasonings, minimal oil, and smokeless cooking methods. A-Jun and his Light Veggie culinary team have created plant-based meals for countless vegans and non-vegans, catering private events as well as United Nations luncheons, the Harper's Bazaar Gala, and Chinese New Year dinners at Harvard and Yale. He has won multiple awards and recognitions, including "Global Top 10 Chinese Vegetarians" in 2017 and "China's Top 10 Culinary Masters" in 2021.

Zhilin Li 李治霖

  • Zhilin Li, a Hong Kong Jockey Club Scholar, graduated from the University of Hong Kong with a degree in political theory and economics. He has prior experience with think tanks, grassroots charities, and international non-profits in both mainland China and Hong Kong. He has worked in the advocacy department of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and served as a research assistant at the Bergrruen Institute of Peking University. Zhilin is the founder and Executive Director of CharityBox, a research nonprofit that explores the most effective ways to do and to maximize the social impact of charitable donations in China. He has a practical and theoretical interest in distributive justice and utilitarianism, and strives to lead a morally grounded life.

Marielle Williamson

  • Marielle Williamson is a rising youth animal rights activist. She is currently studying public policy and international relations at Duke University’s campus in China, where she hopes to learn how to tackle animal rights issues from a legislative-oriented perspective in multiple languages. In 2022, Marielle founded her high school’s animal rights club and won the Vegan Teens are the Future scholarship. Outside of her studies, Marielle is working on a free speech lawsuit with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine against the USDA. She hopes to eventually pursue law school, with the ultimate goal of working on international policy change towards a plant based food system in her career.

    LinkedIn

Rong Zou 邹荣

Jakob Bosch 林杰明

  • I am a 24 year old PhD candidate in Engineering and Management at Tsinghua University in Shenzhen. I was previously the president of the student association "Food Literacy Association" "知食社" at Tsinghua Beijing. I've been an active member of the vegan community in Germany, Beijing and now Shenzhen for 6 years. 4. Coming from Tsinghua Beijing I reported last year at the China Vegan Summit here in Suzhou that I am very privileged. The numerous canteens there had plenty of Vegan options, even labeled as such in some places. The association was strong with members both Chinese and international, supported by Professors of the University. Since August I am in Shenzhen feeling the struggle that other Vegan Students typically face in China. Here there is not veggie booth, labeling is missing, canteen personal is misinformed and not aware of Veganism, cross-contamination is everywhere. I hope to exchange the struggles and come up with solutions together.

Keyi Shi 石珂奕

  • Shi Keyi is a 2024 graduate of the Master of Environmental Policy program at Duke University. During her studies, her passion for transforming sustainable food systems led her to engage in research, internships, campus initiatives, and student activities, positively influencing those around her. For her master's thesis, she researched behavioral change strategies to promote plant-based food consumption in the Chinese context, exploring the motivational differences that encourage non-vegetarians to increase plant-based intake and reduce meat consumption. With a strong interest in the food sector, she interned at the World Resources Institute, focusing on global policy and stakeholder research related to alternative protein foods, gaining deeper insights into the new technologies and challenges emerging in food system transformation. She co-founded the Plant Futures Club at Duke Kunshan University, which joined the Plant Futures Student Chapter Network, becoming the first Chinese member of this U.S.-origin initiative. The club promotes a more sustainable campus dining environment through regular communication with cafeteria managers, initiatives like 'Meatless Monday,' reducing food waste, and hosting plant-based cooking workshops. As one of the 2023 Young Changemakers in the Good Food x Act4Food program, she organized a sharing session on 'Prospects and Career Opportunities in Food and Climate' in collaboration with her master's program and the Good Food Young Changemakers community, providing a platform for more youth to explore career development in the food sector.

Jeremy Y. Sharp

  • Jeremy is a third year law student at Duke Law in the United States of America. He is currently the co-President of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund at Duke Law and is studying on exchange at the University of Hong Kong.

Yi-Wen Lee 李薏雯

  • Yi-Wen is a Plant Forward Whole Foods Chef Educator, a noted member of ‘THE CHEFS’ MANIFESTO’ initiative by SDG2 Advocacy Hub and also a key initiator for many global food education programs. She is a world citizen with 17 years of fashion marketing experience in New York and China who started a transition to the world of whole foods education since 2012. She is also a co-founder of The Plant Forward LLAB with the mission to educate, collaborate and initiate real actions and positive changes using food as a social lubricant for a sustainable human health and planetary well-being system #lets.plantforward.together

    LinkedIn

Lonnie Song 宋文龙

  • Lonnie graduated from New York's International Culinary Center, He has worked in the kitchens of many top international restaurants and served as sous chef at Taian Table, which earned three Michelin stars. He is currently the Executive Chef at the Sangha Retreat by OCTAVE Institute’s Italian restaurant THOUGHT FOR FOOD.

    THOUGHT FOR FOOD

Yanli Kang 康艳丽

  • Yanli has been committed to promoting sustainable food for 13 years. Besides her work as the Business Unit director at HONA Organic, China's leading organic condiment brand launched by Shinho Food, she is an ambassador for Meatless Monday China and Deputy Secretary General of Zhejiang Organic Industry Association.

    Shinho Global

Lulu Wang 王璐璐

  • Wang Lulu is a PhD student in Clinical Medicine at Peking Union Medical College and a practitioner of plant-based eating. As a continuous self-explorer, she has focused on food, health, nature, and sustainability for over a year. A lover of writing, deep communication, and intellectual exchange, she embodies the INFJ personality type. With funding from Beijing Gen & Sprout, she designed and implemented a research project on ecological agriculture in minority communities, aspiring to create a fulfilling career in the fields of food and holistic health.

Vivian Chang 张雅伦

  • Vivian Chang is a serial entrepreneur, chef, vegan educator, marketing expert, and well-known influencer in the plant-based lifestyle space. Vivian's father was a renowned Thai chef in Mainland China and Taiwan. Vivian grew up on her grandmother's farm in Chiang Rai, Thailand, a background which provides her with constant inspiration for her innovative plant-based restaurant concepts that focus on natural ingredients, flavorful spices, and homestyle flavors. Vivian hopes to make Miss Green a leading vegan brand in China, serving healthy food to millions of families and making the world a kinder place, one fragrant bite at a time.

    LinkedIn

Yanan Yu 余亚男

  • Yu Yanan, Sustainable Director at HowBottle, is responsible for building and managing the sustainable supply chain and procurement for the company, focusing on the exploration and application of eco-friendly and sustainable textile materials. With a passion for fashion, she joined the textile industry and has nearly 20 years of experience in supply chain management, previously working with foreign enterprises such as Wal-Mart, VF, and Inditex.

Candice You 游璐瑜

  • Founder of Shanghai Colorwave Shark Food Technology Co., Ltd. After graduating from Hong Kong Baptist University, he worked with American companies in cultural tourism, Mars, and Michael Page, and founded Xielexing, which provided educational concierge services to over 100 billion-asset families. The Colorwave Shark brand was established in 2023, leveraging a complete family-owned coffee industry chain and focusing on ESG coffee. Their coffee planting and trading began in 1991, with ownership of thousands of acres of cooperative and managed estates, a Yunnan processing plant producing 2,000 tons annually, and supplying Starbucks, Nestlé, and Manner, as well as a Shanghai roasting factory serving H World Group and over 12,000 independent coffee shops.

Xinhua Fu 付新华

Cici

  • Graduated from the University of Cambridge, London School of Economics, University of St Andrews, and Duke University in the U.S. She is a Forbes 30 Under 30 entrepreneur, winner of the United Nations Sustainable Development Asia-Pacific Youth Innovation Award, recipient of the WEC Annual Young Women's Innovation Award, and the inspiration for DBS Bank's microfilm 'The Trash Princess.' She has represented China in the U.S. State Department's Future Young Leaders program and Spain's Sustainable Future Leaders initiative, and showcased outstanding sustainable cases for China at the United Nations Climate Summit.

Yufei Jiang 姜宇霏

Baowei Chen 陈保维

Si Zhang 张思

  • With 12 years of veganism and 9 years of entrepreneurship, she embodies the philosophy of 'Eat Well, Live Mindfully,' exploring, practicing, and sharing a healthy, sustainable lifestyle.

Jieyin Fang 方杰音

Shaonian Li 李少年

  • About IT-SIMPLE: A digital experience design agency focused on integrating content and scenarios. They excel in building experiences through storytelling, co-creating IP value with digital products, brand activities, and spaces. Their main product is the digital experience tool Simple Event, along with self-developed screen-based interactive devices and brand digital transformation services.

Alice

Ruoyu Wang 王若瑜

  • With a Master's degree in Meteorology from Nanjing University, she joined The Nature Conservancy (TNC) as a volunteer in Qingshan Village in 2018. She has been actively involved in local water source and biodiversity conservation efforts. Additionally, she rebuilt a local abandoned primary school into the Qingshan Nature School, exploring various forms of public participation and community support, and attempting to promote sustainable development in the nonprofit sector through innovative business models.

Shulin Jiang 江舒临

  • Jiang Shulin holds a Master's degree in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School. He previously served as a negotiation coach at the Public Leadership Center and a teaching assistant for the 'Negotiation Workshop' course at Harvard Law School, being the only research staff member without a legal background and for whom English is not the native language. He earned his Master's from Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health and worked for five years at the Gates Institute on health projects in Africa and India. While at Harvard, he focused on developing soft skills in leadership and negotiation, coaching for popular courses on adaptive leadership and public narrative, and served as the liaison chair for the Harvard Kennedy Chinese Society. Currently, he is an independent soft skills trainer and coach, localizing Harvard's teaching methods to offer customized coaching and training for individuals and organizations, including Tsinghua University and China Vegan Society.

Yawen Chen 陈雅雯

Zhen Xiang 郑祥

  • Deputy Chief Traditional Chinese Medicine Physician at Shanghai Minhang Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, with over 20 years of clinical experience, specializing in Xinan Medicine.

Zhongyan Huo 霍中彦

  • He graduated from the School of Journalism at Fudan University and has served as Founding Partner at Hejing Capital, Strategic Investment Director at Xinhua Media, and Investment Manager at the Liberation Daily Press Group.

Hongyu Liu 刘宏宇

  • With 20 years of entrepreneurial experience, he focuses on coaching private boards for entrepreneurs, executive teams, and succession guidance.

Ruiyi He 何瑞怡

Shirley Lu 鲁秀仪

  • Shirley, Chief Representative of ProVeg China, successfully established the ProVeg Shanghai office. To promote sustainable food, she actively participates in and initiates multiple food forums, bringing together government officials, scholars, and business leaders to share insights and reveal opportunities and challenges. Shirley has also collaborated with the United Nations Environment Programme to co-author the report 'The Role of Business in Transforming Food Systems,' advocating for green food.

Ruby Lv 吕秀娟

  • She has extensive consulting and management experience in sustainable development, social innovation, and impact investing.

Cheng Li 李诚

  • A pure vegan garden restaurant, and Founder of the China Plant-Based Food Application Promotion Alliance.

Tao Zi 陶子

Jin Zhu 朱瑾

Karen Du 杜怡佳

  • a sustainable innovation platform. She is dedicated to reshaping consumer perceptions, inspiring the new generation of fashion brands and industry innovation, and focusing on the fashion-centric consumer sector and ecology.

Ke Liu 刘珂

Fei Liu 刘飞

Mingpan Li 李明攀

  • Li Mingpan has focused on ecological agriculture for 15 years, attracting over 100 young university students to work in rural areas. He has initially explored a model for integrating the three industries of ecological agriculture. Based in Huanggang, his operations have expanded to 14 bases across 7 provinces, including 4 food processing factories and 2 cultural tourism bases. He was among the first to propose using industrial thinking to guide agriculture, achieving full mechanization, standardization, and process optimization in ecological farming. In 2021, Qianyi Agriculture was recognized as an advanced collective in poverty alleviation in Hubei Province; in 2023, he was elected as a representative of the 14th People's Congress of Hubei Province, and Qianyi Agriculture was rated as a national-level ecological farm by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Over 100 media outlets, including CCTV, People's Daily, China Youth Daily, Economic Daily, and Hubei Daily, have reported on Qianyi Agriculture's ecological farming model, carving out a unique path for development amid the agricultural supply-side reform and rural revitalization efforts.

Haitao Li 黎海涛

Max Ye 叶顾明

Mingpan Li 李明攀

  • Li Mingpan has focused on ecological agriculture for 15 years, attracting over 100 young university students to work in rural areas. He has initially explored a model for integrating the three industries of ecological agriculture. Based in Huanggang, his operations have expanded to 14 bases across 7 provinces, including 4 food processing factories and 2 cultural tourism bases. He was among the first to propose using industrial thinking to guide agriculture, achieving full mechanization, standardization, and process optimization in ecological farming. In 2021, Qianyi Agriculture was recognized as an advanced collective in poverty alleviation in Hubei Province; in 2023, he was elected as a representative of the 14th People's Congress of Hubei Province, and Qianyi Agriculture was rated as a national-level ecological farm by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Over 100 media outlets, including CCTV, People's Daily, China Youth Daily, Economic Daily, and Hubei Daily, have reported on Qianyi Agriculture's ecological farming model, carving out a unique path for development amid the agricultural supply-side reform and rural revitalization efforts.

Zhuo Ma 马绰

Jun Zhao 赵军

  • Zhao Jun has been engaged in Gobi walking for 8 years and became a vegetarian at the end of 2022. He has since combined Gobi walking with a plant-based lifestyle, allowing participants to return to their true selves while experiencing the profound impact of vegetarianism through this extreme experience. He aims to demonstrate that vegetarian food is powerful, delicious, and can be nutritionally balanced and rich.

Slow Vegan 陆健

  • I work in the media industry and aspire to be a lifestyle artist. I love researching veganism, enjoy RV traveling, and am an amateur rower. Currently, I am working on a video project titled 'Inviting 365 Friends Nationwide to Try Veganism' and am preparing a valley homestay in Hangzhou to share plant-based eating.

Vegeta 素食说唱

Gwen Shih 葛温

  • As a food enthusiast and food healer, I established d'lish Vegan restaurant and Gwen Vegan in Shanghai, China, collaborating with various local health lifestyle brands to present guests with organic and seasonal cuisine. Additionally, I serve as a researcher of light nourishing seasonal diets, integrating traditional Chinese herbal medicine with the 24 solar terms to lead a healthy eating trend. I focus on the combination of seasons and ingredients, encouraging people to pay more attention to their bodies and the environment. Advocating for environmental protection and health, I call for a return to nature. My agricultural background deepens my understanding of the importance of reconnecting with nature, providing nourishment for the body, mind, and spirit for every taster.

Xiang Gu 香菇

Kay Xu 许凯贺

  • Kay started her WeDiscover journey in 2015, to provide cross-cultural, experiential learning programs in sustainability, innovation, and social entrepreneurship. She is committed to helping Chinese and international young talents to achieve experiences that transcend cultural boundaries. Kay has been involved in organizing various forms of sustainability events, from corporate trainings, youth workshops, environmental educational activities, to sustainability forums. She is an advocate for sustainable lifestyles and works with the sustainability community in building healthy mind, body and planet.

Dr. Queenie Mei 梅耀华

  • With 10 years of practice in the U.S. and 10 years in China.

    Chiropractic Physician, Naturopathic Doctor, Acupuncturist.

Jade Qin 秦玉琼

  • In 1999, I left a small village of 600 people and arrived 2005 in Shanghai, drawn by a curiosity to explore and grow. My journey to Yoga was accompanied by various milestones. I took on various roles – preventive medicine student, web designer, and no matter which role I held, practicing yoga was part of my life. Each experience taught me valuable life lessons and shaped my approach to life. But it was in 2008, when I started teaching Yoga, that I truly found my life calling. Yoga became more than just a practice for me; it was a lifestyle that resonated deeply within my soul.

    In October 2016, I founded Free Soul Yoga Shanghai—a space where I could share my passion for Yoga with others. Establishing this studio felt like a natural and inevitable step, a gift from the universe. Free Soul Yoga quickly became a sanctuary for practitioners of all levels and from all over the world, fostering a community of support, growth, and belonging. To me, Yoga is a mission, not just a job. It's about spreading the practice, building a supportive community, and promoting holistic well-being. Free Soul Yoga embodies this mission, reflecting a commitment to following one's heart and embracing life's journey with courage and compassion.

子荷&水熊君

  • Zi He has loved nature, plants and animals, art, and handmade painting since childhood. During her teenage years, she struggled with bipolar disorder, and through her experiences, she gradually discovered that certain thoughts and feelings, which are often difficult to express in words, could be manifested through artistic creation. Some overlooked emotions would be unearthed and recognized at specific moments. She later began to explore art therapy, continuously learning and practicing, while also engaging in social work with special communities. Eventually, she met Shuǐ Xióng Jūn, a fellow alumnus from the drama academy who is passionate about life and specializes in directing and stage design. The two became partners in life as well as mutual support in their work.

Amos 黄译

  • Bachelor's degree in Sculpture from the University of the Arts London. A conceptual and participatory artist focusing on cross-media art, viewing experimental activities as a pathway for creation and self-education. Exhibited and performed in various spaces and universities across Eurasia. Passionate about socially engaged art, organized a series of salons on social art in Oxford, participated in residencies in Tokyo's slums, and incubated over a hundred mini public art projects in the "Social Practice" series. Co-organizer of the Shanzhai MFA, an accessible, interdisciplinary short-term art experimental school based on the spirit and methods of "shanzhai." It has already hosted three sessions in Dali and Chaoshan, each with different themes. It can also be understood as a social practice art piece, a festival of collective improvisation, a temporary energy field, an immersive study camp, a performance, experiment, reflection, networking event, a series of games, or simply a playful process.

Zongxiu Xie 谢宗秀

Rukia 周子玲

  • Rukia is the Operations Manager for ANFFF (Animal, Ecology, and Future Film Festival), which is a key event under International Nature Bond CIC. ANFFF focuses on animal, nature, and future narratives, showcasing inspiring stories while promoting collaboration, dialogue, and innovation among professionals and enthusiasts in the film industry.

Dani 妲妮

  • Dani grew up in the diverse mountainous regions of Southwest China, filled with a wild spirit and a pursuit of equality. Over the past decade, she has actively engaged in both business and public welfare, initiating several public participation projects, including "Earth Roots Climate X Art Action Community," "Bipedal Beasts and Their Companions," and "The Fierce Human Project." With a background in sociology and management, as well as experience in social innovation, she specializes in Creative Facilitation and Public Engagement to plan and execute initiatives that enhance understanding and action on public issues. Her current focus includes climate change, farm animal welfare, and animal ethics. Dani is a 22/23 Chevening Scholar and holds a Master's degree in Global Sustainable Development from the University of Warwick.

Justine Zee Kwok

  • Justine graduated from Cornell University, an Ivy League school, with dual degrees in Psychology and French. She has lived in the US, UK, France, and Italy, and is fluent in English, French, Mandarin, and Cantonese. Influenced by her exemplary parents and the educational philosophy of Cheltenham Ladies' College, she has grown into a compassionate, principled, and independent woman.

    After university, Justine continued her studies in fashion design in Paris and was invited to work as a designer for a renowned fashion and jewelry brand. However, these successes did not deter her from pursuing her true passion: fostering connections between humans, animals, and nature, while raising awareness about the importance of environmental and animal protection. With the support of family and friends, she decided to resign and return to her hometown, Zhongshan, where she founded Zhongshan Hengshun Cultural Research Co., Ltd. and Xinhuiran Learning in 2018.

    Flow is a place where people can open their hearts and deeply connect with nature. Drawing on her expertise in animal-assisted therapy from the University of Denver, ecological psychotherapy from Schumacher College, experiential learning training from Dr. Colin Beard, Green School Educator Course in Bali, and animal welfare and behavior studies from City University of Hong Kong, as well as environmental education training from Cornell Ecology Lab, Guo aims to inspire every guest at Flow to appreciate and care for nature and all living things, grounded in respect and compassion for life.

Tanghao Zhu 朱堂浩

  • Dedicated to healing life through a plant-based lifestyle, I enjoy wandering between the kitchen and the market, communicating joyfully with fruits and vegetables, and cooking with a grateful heart to embrace the beauty of the present moment.

Mumu 木木小地瓜

  • Mu Mu is a lifestyle blogger committed to early morning meditation and energy-based vegan living, with 11 years of experience in public welfare innovation. As a new resident of Tian Niu Village, Mu Mu was once a rare disease patient who slept 17 hours a day. Seven years ago, she achieved a miraculous recovery through a holistic lifestyle. She is steadfastly focused on inner transformation, realizing that "changing oneself is the greatest public welfare." In 2023, she created the "Love Yourself Energy Action Card," aiming to support more young people in restoring their life energy and becoming grounded, healthy, and happy peace warriors.

Joyce

  • Joyce is a community partner at Yun Gu Farm and the founder of Wild Yeast. After years of experience in foreign enterprises, she transitioned to the domestic sustainable brand sector, participating in and promoting local artisan collaboration projects. Moving from a background of disconnection with food to practicing a semi-agricultural lifestyle, she navigates between urban and rural areas. Currently, at Chai Mi Duo, she explores ecological agriculture and food while personally practicing and promoting a lifestyle that balances physical and mental well-being for today's youth.

Kun Li 昆梨

  • Kun Li is a former practitioner in fast-moving consumer goods and sustainable fashion, currently working as a practitioner of ecological agriculture and food healing. She is the head of the agricultural sector at Chai Mi Duo.

Amelie Zhu

  • Amelie graduated from St. Mary’s University London with a BSc in Nutrition. After returning to China, she worked in the education industry before joining the China Vegan Society in 2021. At the China Vegan Society, Amelie manages the organization’s various online communities and community-focused campaigns such as the grant program. Outside of work, you can find her enjoying time in nature and learning ballet.

Yunxi Bian 边云熙

  • Shenzhen City Partner of China Vegan Society
    Co-founder of Tomato Group
    Promoting low-carbon, environmentally friendly, and healthy lifestyles, supporting rural revitalization industries, and sustainable development of organic agriculture. A practitioner of sustainable development.

Chunyan Lin 林春燕

  • As the Head of Sustainability for OATLY Greater China, Chloe Lin has been responsible for the sustainable development efforts across the Asia-Pacific region since joining OATLY in 2019. She actively promotes the localization of global sustainability strategies, monitoring key performance indicators across raw materials, packaging, processing, and distribution, as well as planning and implementing key projects.

    Her work includes conducting lifecycle analyses for both corporate and product levels, building initiatives for plant-based categories (represented by the China Oat Milk Industry White Papers of 2021 and 2023), overseeing regenerative agriculture projects (such as organic oat cultivation in Inner Mongolia and coffee bean projects in Yunnan), researching and auditing food raw materials, developing sustainable operational solutions for Asian factories, managing the Silent Barista project, and coordinating the OATLY box and bottle recycling program, along with supporting the establishment of oat-based coffee courses and advancing the Hey Barista community.

Wanxing Li 黎婉星

Li Yu 余力

  • Dr. Yu Li is a pioneer in plant-based nutrition and the health industry, as well as the founder of Taishu Fu Studio and the WeChat public account "Saying Vegetable."

Peter

Junze Li 李昀泽

  • Environmental Officer at Tzu Chi Kunshan Environmental Education Base, Executive Director of Natural Wind Vegetarian Catering, recognized as an outstanding individual in Suzhou's waste classification efforts. He has been a vegetarian for 11 years and has promoted low-carbon environmental concepts for 12 years.

BOBO Tseng 曾怡菁

Eve Samyuktha

  • Eve is the founder and CEO of 70/30 Food Science and Technology, a pioneering company in plant and fungi-based functional foods. With a master's degree in Chemical Engineering from Imperial College London, Eve has over two decade of experience in the field, having held significant roles in global companies like Michelin. She is also the the founder of Plant Based Consulting Shanghai, that specializes in building profiles for alternative protein companies and organizing events like MEATFEST in China. s. At 70/30, she is dedicated to enhancing the future of food through using microbes for making healthier protein to replace animal based meat.

Andrew Goh

Xing Chen 陈星

  • specializing in the National Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resource Development. His research focuses on food proteins and the physics of soft matter.

Che Che 车车

  • Advocate for a vegan lifestyle and co-founder of the SUSUJOY platform, which promotes plant-based and gluten-free living. As a content creator, she promotes animal rights and sustainable living through innovative vegan cuisine and eco-friendly practices. Since 2024, she has been studying Indian culture, aiming to incorporate Ayurvedic principles to share energizing healing vegan food with those in need."

Yi Ge 壹个袋子

  • Mainly engaged in environmental-related content, she creates online media and conducts interactive experience courses on sustainability in schools and businesses. 'Yige Bag' focuses on sustainable food systems and farm animal welfare, emphasizing the importance of 'connection.' She believes that much of modern unhappiness and poor health is linked to a disconnection from nature. By pursuing sustainability, better relationships can be established between people, animals, and the environment, leading to improved well-being for both animals and humans.

This year’s speaker list will continually be updated as we confirm the agenda. Stay tuned!