This information corresponds to the event in general, not the exact format of this year’s event.
What is the purpose of this event?
The forum is a yearly event that is run in order to increase the skills and effectiveness of Australian activists, to increase networking between activists, to inspire activists to continue their work, to showcase effective campaigns and to give an opportunity to hear international speakers.
What is the format?
The format of the forum includes a welcome session, skype presentations from international speakers, workshops & presentations on specific topics, and social events.
Do I need to arrive for 8:30am?
It’s good if you can arrive then, but we’ll have our registration desk staffed throughout the day.
Can I help?
Maybe, please let us know if you would like to volunteer. The convenors will be happy for any assistance.
Why haven’t I heard about this before?
To the best of our ability we strive to publicise the event as widely as possible.
If you are part of an animal protection organisation, we would greatly appreciate your assistance in further publicising the event by letting your organisation’s supporters know about its existence via your email list, Facebook page, events calendar, Twitter feed, etc.
We would also be grateful if you can share the news with friends and contacts concerned about animal welfare issues. We firmly believe this is an important event, and the more people are made aware of it, the more effective we can all be on behalf of animals.
Is the event catered?
We typically include morning and afternoon teas, with plant based milks. Sometimes we include lunches and snacks, but it depends on the venue. See details on the booking page.
As well as the Forum, the Saturday evening social event will be catered with tasty vegan food. See details on the booking page
I genuinely can’t afford the ticket price.
We understand that for some their financial situation might be a constraint to them attending the Forum. We don’t want to turn away anyone who is genuinely looking for positive ways to become a more effective animal rights advocate. If this is you, please contact us “info[at]animalrightsforum[dot]org” to negotiate a more affordable entry fee.
Can sessions be delivered as webinars so that we can all join the conversation remotely?
Unfortunately, we don’t have the capacity currently to set-up webinars for the whole conference.
We hope to film a number of this years talks, and after the forum we will notify, via our email list, how these might be viewed.
We do believe though, that the main benefit of this event is the face to face networking opportunities that are not as easily facilitated over the internet.
Are non-human animals allowed?
No, the venue does not allow non-human animals on the premises.
Who makes a profit from this?
The forum is organised by a group of committed volunteers whose sole aim is to provide a positive space for education and skills sharing for animal advocates across the country. The attendance fee is set to cover costs involved in staging the event like venue hire and catering so that we break even.
Should there be any remaining funds after covering our expenses, these will be set aside to offset the following Forum’s expenses.
Is the event vegan?
We always insist on our caterers providing vegan food for attendees, and if possible we do attempt to ensure other components of our event, such as the venue’s supplied toiletry products are cruelty-free. Typically most of our speakers are vegan, but not all of them.
I’m not vegan or vegetarian, can I come?
Yes, we make no restrictions on the basis of diet, but please don’t bring non-vegan/vegetarian food to the event.
I’m not in a group, I’m just an interested individual thinking of getting more involved.
Please come as the event is aimed at you!
I can only attend for a day, can I still come?
Yes, however the ticket price remains the same. We would appreciate you letting us know if you will only be partially attending the Forum so that we don’t over-cater.
Is the Saturday night social event included in the ticket price.
Sometimes it is, please check the details of this year’s event.
Is there a chance that the event will be infiltrated by members of animal-abusing industries?
Certainly this is a possibility, however as our ticket terms and conditions state, the event organisers reserve the right to request individuals leave at the organiser’s discretion. Any individual intending to cause unwelcome disruption will be escorted from the event. This event is for individuals genuinely concerned about animal cruelty who are looking to become actively involved in creating positive, lasting change for animals.
How do you choose the location?
We generally try to hold the Forum in a different city each year. We then scout for a venue that will suit our event’s requirements and budget.
How can I support the event?
Apart from attending the Forum, there are many things you can do to help support it such as publicising the event, donating on the day, buying a ‘solidarity ticket’, or offering to volunteer for us through our contact form.
Are events like this worthwhile?
We definitely think so! We know of one project in Australia, the ‘Freedom of Species’ Animal Protection radio show that was inspired by the Forum.
Internationally, we know that similar events like the International Animal Rights Gathering which was held in Suza, Italy in 2010 helped to buoy participation numbers for anti-vivisection rallies up to 10,000. In order to be the most effective we can be on behalf of non-human animals, its important caring individuals are given the opportunity to share their combined knowledge, skills, ideas and passion in a collaborative environment.
Can I just come to some workshops?
Yes, of course. Our preference of course is that you stay the whole weekend as the main goal of the event is to foster cooperation between Australian activists. Often some people find the discussions that occur during the meal breaks and social function to be more important than the formal workshops. We really do hope you can stay for the whole weekend, and look forward to your contribution.
I bought a ticket, but I cannot attend, can I get a refund?
Refunds are available, minus booking fee, up until the date shown on our ticketing page.
Is there an age restriction to the event?
Anyone that is younger than 17 years old must be accompanied by an adult. There is no upper age limited!
Can I transfer or give my ticket to someone else?
Tickets are not transferable. Please ensure you read our ticket terms and conditions before proceeding to pay for your tickets.
How can I ensure I hear about future events?
Register for our newsletter on the bottom of our webpage, sign up to our twitter page, or look for us on Facebook.
Disabled Access
We endeavour to have disabled access to our event, if you have any queries about this please contact us, and we will confirm access with the venue.