The ruling body from IVU is the International Council and the eight elected members who form it serve four year terms. Each council member must be vegetarian and hold a current position within a member organization. NAVS, etc.), local or other regional vegetarian organizations whose primary purpose is the promotion of vegetarianism and the support of vegetarian living (e.g. EarthSave). The IVU Congress president from 1923 to 1926 was
Ernest Bell. The 6th World Vegetarian Congress held in London in 1926 featured displays of vegetarian boots as well as furs, gloves, tennis rackets and violin strings all made without any animal substances. There was a unanimous decision to exclude membership from any society that allowed fish consumption. The IVU also encourages regional and national organizations to run vegetarian festivals, such as the 43rd World VegFest in
Sydney and
Melbourne,
Australia, on 25 October 2015 and the hundreds of currently organized
vegetarian festivals on many continents. The organization's 1975 World Vegetarian Congress in
Orono,
Maine, has been called the most significant event of the
vegetarian movement in the United States in the 20th century and led to the 1974 founding of the
North American Vegetarian Society. In November 1999, the IVU role of president was abolished and was replaced by Chairman of the International Council. Marly Winckler is the current Chair of IVU. ==People==