Bringing EVU to the public

The future of the EVU on the Internet

from European Vegetarian, Issue 1/2000

EVU's internet site has grown rapidly in the last months and has become a true repository for all sorts of vegetarian concerns. Several new features have been added, and the existing sections, such as the online version of EVU News, have been maintained and expanded.

Now EVU is aiming to do another major step: We would like to extend our website to be a truly European project. Our index pages are already available in twenty-one languages - a really impressing number! Yet we consider our current state to be just the beginning of a fascinating process. The vision is to have an evolving information repository for vegetarians - in as many European languages as possible.

This vision might never have been as important as it is today. Due to economic pressure and lack of working power, the general trend in the internet is to develop websites in single languages, most of all in English. Many people do understand English, although it might not be their mother tongue. English is almost compulsory for the internet. But wouldn't you prefer reading the article of your choice in your own language?

You may be able to understand the meaning of any article written in English, but a text written in your mother tongue will always be more illustrative and entertaining. And yet, for how many people sitting in front of the screen with a dictionary, is it indeed a painful process going through hundreds of websites to get the piece of information they are looking for ...

With its multi-language policy, EVU is trying to serve vegetarians all over Europe, regardless of their language skills. This vision is in fact challenging, and it requires YOU to make it come true.

You can become a member of our motivated internet team. Take over one of the languages as a webmaster! You'll receive a directory on our website, be your own boss and spread EVU's message to your fellow countrymen.
You may also think of taking care of one of our key sections, such as EVU News or the Veggie Events Forum. You will be free to design the pages the way you like. Plenty of collaborations with other organisations make it real fun to look after one of these sites.
You may contribute translations of single articles or other sources of information according to your available time. Why don't you start with one of the articles of this EVU News issue? Just drop a mail to our webmaster to avoid multiple translations, and get started!

For reasons of efficiency, it will be necessary for you to have an email connection. This does not necessarily mean that you have to have a computer: Many libraries offer free internet access, and an e-mail service is also available in one of the innumerable internet cafes. The EVU looks forward to your participation - join our ambitious project!!