North American Vegetarian Society
Introduction


The **North American Vegetarian Society** (**NAVS**) is a charity and activist organization with the stated objectives of supporting vegetarians and informing the public about the benefits of [vegetarianism](/wiki/Vegetarianism "Vegetarianism").

It was initially founded in 1974 to organize the [International Vegetarian Union](/wiki/International_Vegetarian_Union "International Vegetarian Union")'s 1975 World Vegetarian Congress in [Orono, Maine](/wiki/Orono%2C_Maine "Orono, Maine"), which has been called the most significant event of the [vegetarian](/wiki/Vegetarianism "Vegetarianism") movement in the United States in the 20th century.

In 1977, the organization started an annual event, [World Vegetarian Day](/wiki/World_Vegetarian_Day "World Vegetarian Day"). The following year the [International Vegetarian Union](/wiki/International_Vegetarian_Union "International Vegetarian Union") joined in holding the event. The event is celebrated October 1 of each year and kicks off a month\-long event, Vegetarian Awareness Month, which ends November 1 with [World Vegan Day](/wiki/World_Vegan_Day "World Vegan Day").


What is the main purpose of the NAVS?