How I become vegan.
Gad Hakimi the designer of the vegan flagย talks about the reasons why he became vegan and what drove him to create the flag of veganism.
From an interview for Vegans making history
“When I was 30 it was discovered that I had very high cholesterol levels. The doctors said that the reason was genetic due to family risk and I should start taking pills to balance cholesterol. They also said that with changes in diet, cholesterol levels could be changed by a few percent. An athlete can reduce up to about 10% more. So the bottom line is that the doctors, nutritionists, and fitness instructors I met in this process realized that even if I become an athlete with a low-fat diet, I will never reach normal cholesterol levels without pills!”
“My dear wife, who was exposed to veganism and adopted it four years ago, told me unequivocally that the source of bad cholesterol comes from an animal-based diet. So I agreed to try. Within half a year on a vegan diet, my bad cholesterol levels reduced by 35% and I entered the normal range. Today, after two and a half years of veganism, my blood tests are completely normal. When I got back to my doctor he said it was clear that animal products were the main cause of high cholesterol, but he did not think of veganism as an option.”
Gad and his wife Liat in a demonstration at Tel Aviv | 2016
“As soon as I became a vegan I began to expose and understand all the problems in the industry and human violence against all animals, and that I innocently saw animals only as a product. I began to develop compassion for all the animals and this enriched my understanding of reality. Because I am a professional designer, I decided to contribute my experience and knowledge to veganism, beyond the protests where I stand with dozens of activists holding signs and conveying information. I decided that a step should be taken to unite all the vegans in the world into a force that can not be ignored. So I went to create together with other designers and activists the flag of international veganism. The flag was announced on 9 June 2017, and can now be purchased at a low cost directly from the manufacturers in all major online stores such as eBay, AliExpress and Amazon, and in a number of local stores around the world. Soon I hope to see the world as an ocean of flags and compassion for animals wherever they are: in the air, on land and in the sea (as the colors of the flag).”
Gad Hakimi, 35, Senior Designer
Gad Hakimi holding the Vegan flag | Photography: Eldar Adashim Cohen | 2017
Today, Gad (35), his wife Liat (33), and their two daughters (Noa and Mia) work with all their energy to promote veganism wherever they are. Gad and Liat are the heads of the Israeli A.L.F group of their city and participating in a lot of demonstrations throughout the year as protesters or a documentation photographers.