Dear John,
On January 11th, we invite you to participate in the International Candlelight Vigil for Elephants, a global day of remembrance to honor the elephants who tragically passed away in captivity this past year. The Nonhuman Rights Project is proud to co-host this meaningful event.
Each year, we fight for elephants who remain confined and suffering, demanding recognition of their right to liberty as self-aware, self-determining beings. Despite decades of scientific evidence proving elephants’ sentience and autonomy, our legal system continues to classify them as “things” without rights. This injustice must change.
Today, more than 250 elephants remain imprisoned in zoos across the United States, each one a unique individual capable of rich social bonds and cognitive complexity. Visit Free to Be Elephants to learn more about these elephants.
As we honor the elephants lost in 2024, we recognize their inherent right to liberty. You are invited to join us for this year’s International Candlelight Vigil by lighting a candle at home to honor the elephants we’ve lost. If you feel inclined to, please share your memorial photos with us on social media using #Vigil4Elephants and #AtHomeCandlelightVigilPhotos.
Visit the Vigil 4 Elephants Facebook Page to learn more about this year’s event, including the stories and photos of the elephants we’re remembering. Together, we honor their lives and fight for a future where all elephants can live freely.
Thank you for standing with us in remembrance and in action,
Courtney Fern
Director of Government Relations, the NhRP
