Lyceum at PR found its roots in curious students that wanted the freedom to debate issues with others. It was started by Julia Kappil and Payton Gentges, who wanted students to “have a voice in issues” that impact our world. During Lyceum, students gather to listen and discuss a variety of student-generated topics, such as the first executive order on immigration and AP-heavy course loads. Upcoming topics include President Trump’s treatment by the media and Planned Parenthood.

To the 50+ students who attended February 24, Filip Pajak led a Lyceum during which he explained veganism and why he believes that a vegan diet is best for all. As Filip went through his presentation, he explained to the audience that eating vegan is not as difficult as many think, and that there is a whole variety of foods to choose from, including veggie options of products that are normally made from animals.

Pajak personally converted to a life of veganism after watching documentaries on how animals are treated in the food industry, and encourages others to look into the industry to be informed as well on what they are eating.

Pajak claimed that, “eating animals has become a part of our culture, but culture is not always morally right.” He explained that we do not need to eat meat and other animal products to gain nutrients, since plants hold nutritional value as well.

Pajak mentioned that many diseases can be prevented by eating more vegetables, such as osteoporosis, without the consumption of dairy or meat.

Introducing the idea of speciesism, Pajak explained that we have grown to hold the belief that animal life is far below the worth of a human’s, and because of this, we feel justified to consume animals at the rate that we do. This rate, as introduced in the presentation is “9 to 10 billion land animals a year, or 300 animals killed per second to feed the U.S. alone.” At this rate of consumption, Pajak explained that we use lots of land to hold the animals, which is detrimental to the environment.

To allow for a better understanding of how veganism affects daily life, Pajak answered questions from the audience.

Among these questions were ones such as how has eating a vegan diet impacted energy levels, along with how has eating this diet impacted his athletic ability. According to Pajak, eating this diet has made him feel more refreshed, and has given him more energy in his daily activities.

Pajak used vegan American football player David Carter’s words to summarize his beliefs in regards to veganism, “when it comes to diet, you need to have compassion for your body.”

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Editor’s Note: Students who wish to offer ideas for future Lyceum topics may contact Mr. Pellikan, International Studies Division Leader ([email protected]).