On May 6, 2020, the Vegan Student Association (VSA) in Amsterdam announced their official registration as a Dutch student association, becoming the third of its kind nationwide. The association organises a variety of social events; from picnics to mentoring programs. 

The VSA was founded in May 2019, celebrating its first birthday by becoming officially recognised in May 2020. The president, Apolónia Drábová, a 21 year-old Communication Science student at the University of Amsterdam (UvA), tells The Amsterdammer that she and Elianne, the vice-president, “felt that creating a community of vegan students would be beneficial, not only for them, but also for creating awareness amongst other students through (…) events and activities.” She continues by saying that this was the primary reason for the founding of the association.

Among other things, Amsterdam is known for its youthful population and its sustainable efforts. It has consistently ranked in the Top 10 of Europe’s most vegan-friendly cities. Tripadvisor claims that there are over 900 restaurants in the city offering plant-based options, without counting those that are exclusively vegan. These restaurants facilitate the vegan lifestyle for those who choose it. Despite the city being considered ‘vegan-friendly’ and home to over 35,000 UvA students, this student association is the first of its kind. 

Nadia Kendall, a 20 year-old Political Science student at the UvA is part of the media and events committee at the VSA. She tells The Amsterdammer that Amsterdam truly lives up to its ‘vegan friendly’ reputation, however it falls short by not being very cost-friendly. The affordable aspect is a key element for the student population, who make up the majority of vegans in the city. Kendall adds that universities should also provide a greater number and variety of vegan options to cater to the increasing demand of their students.

The VSA has held events ranging from picnics and clothes-swaps to the ‘funky-vegan-festival’ over the course of its year-long existence. It is now continuing its mission via online platforms; the association has shared vegan recipes, DIY tips and facts to its instagram followers. Additionally, it has set up a mentoring program aimed at helping those who want to become vegan or vegetarian but are struggling to do so. 

https://www.vsaamsterdam.com or (vsa_amsterdam) on Instagram.