Worldlog Marianne Thieme 20 February 2018

The campaign for the Dutch municipal elections on the 21st of March is in full swing now. We participate in 15 municipalities and our members are making inexhaustible efforts to involve as many people as possible in the fight for our planet and all its inhabitants. Over the next few weeks, I will give several lectures throughout the country together with the financial geographer Ewald Engelen. Last year, we jointly wrote the book “The Canary in the Coal Mine”, a book about the untenability of the current political and financial choices and about the necessity for a radical change of course. The book is also available in English.

Lecture by Marianne and Ewald

Together with thousands of other Dutch people we managed to save two rebel cows from slaughter. The cows, Hermien and Zus, escaped just before they were to be transported to the slaughterhouse. Cow Zus was captured quickly but Hermien kept hiding in the forests for weeks. Because these cows are a great symbol for the urge for animal freedom, we had set up a crowdfunding action hoping to raise money to give at least Hermien a beautiful life in a cow rest house. This action was so successful that we did not only manage to bring Hermien to the resthouse but also her mate Zus. They will be looked after in the resthouse for the rest of their lives. We hope that in the future no animal at all will have to run for its life when they come in contact with people.

In my previous Worldlog I told you that the European Parliament is going to set up a special committee to carry out an investigation into the conflicts of interests that arose when the EU licence for the controversial agriculture pesticide had to be extended. Our MEP Anja Hazekamp was one of the initiators of the investigation committee and it has meanwhile become known that she will become a member of the committee in question. We are pleased that Anja will be a member of the committee because she is determined to get to the bottom of this.

We have received good news from Belgium: yesterday our Belgian sister party “DierAnimal” was launched during a busy press conference. It’s great that we have gained another partner in our international fight for a liveable planet.

Leonardo DiCaprio talks about climate change

Last week, I attended a Dutch event for good causes, at which Leonardo DiCaprio gave a lecture. The actor is working to get a better climate with his Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. In his speech, DiCaprio also addressed the fish and meat industry, which is disastrous for our planet, humans and animals. Like the Party for the Animals, he believes that we have waited too long to tackle the consequences of global warming and that we now have to give out all to maintain the earth liveable.

Japanese journalists

In conclusion: The New York Times wrote a nice article about the Dutch Animal Police, for which I was interviewed. In this interview, I pleaded for an animal police with more authority, including helping millions of animals in the livestock industry. Japanese journalists are also interested in our party: I recently gave an interview to The Asahi Shimbum, the second biggest newspaper in Japan with a circulation of eight million. They were very interested in the Party for the Animals and the topic of unstunned slaughter. Go for a Japanese PftA!

Until the next time,

Marianne