In January, we organised the first Animal Liberation Conference (ALC) in India in collaboration with the local animal rights group Indore Animal Liberation. For three powerful days, more than 180 grassroots animal rights activists from 30+ cities came together to learn, organise, and take action. The conference ended in the Animal Rights March that mobilised over 300 people on the streets of Indore. The march demanded stronger animal protection laws, including increasing penalties for animal cruelty and criminalising bestiality.

Activists participated in hands-on trainings on organising protests, public speaking, investigations, media engagement, outreach, grassroots organising, content creation and much more. These skills were immediately put into practice through daily actions. Across the city, activists organised 10 vigils at places of animal exploitation like slaughterhouses, meat markets, dairies, pet shops, and the zoo to bear witness to animals suffering. On the second day, 10 theatrical street demonstrations were organised to expose cruelty across industries, including animal testing, fashion, poultry, fishing, and more.

The conference also created space for deeper reflection on the unique challenges facing animal advocacy in India. Sessions addressed how caste, class, religion, and politics intersect with animal rights, alongside workshops on building inclusive movements, animal welfare laws in India, the power of nonviolent direct action, etc.

ALC India received significant media attention, with over 40 local print media articles and coverage on four local television news channels over the course of the conference. Beyond numbers and press, the conference left activists more skilled, more connected, and more motivated to build a stronger, more strategic movement for animals across India.