On the 03. December 2010 the International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development (IVD), international volunteer-based organizations around the world launch a year-long campaign aimed at better understanding, promoting and supporting volunteerism. Annually, the volunteer sector contributes US$ 400 billion to the global economy, according to the Johns Hopkins Center for Civil Society Studies. But this contribution often goes unnoticed.
This year, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme and more than 40 international volunteer-based organizations, have come together to claim recognition for volunteers during the upcoming tenth anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers (IYV+10) in 2011. The Year will culminate in two United Nations General Assembly Sessions dedicated to volunteerism in December 2011 and the release of the first-ever report on the State of the World’s Volunteerism.
In marking this year, volunteer-based organizations not only aim at promoting and recognizing the diversity of volunteerism initiatives worldwide, but also calling on governments, UN entities and civil society actors to engage in creating an enabling environment to support volunteerism.
Volunteers of all ages, backgrounds and origins are recognized for their contributions today and during the entire coming year. Celebrations and events to mark the anniversary will be organized around the globe, such as the 21st IAVE World Volunteer Conference in January 2011 and the Global Volunteering Summit in Kenya in June 2011, to be organized through a tripartite partnership of UNV, IFRC and IAVE.
“This year is an opportunity to focus the world’s attention on the positive added value volunteers provide to governments and societies across the globe”, says UNV Executive Coordinator, Flavia Pansieri.
On the 03. December 2010 the International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development (IVD), international volunteer-based organizations around the world launch a year-long campaign aimed at better understanding, promoting and supporting volunteerism. Annually, the volunteer sector contributes US$ 400 billion to the global economy, according to the Johns Hopkins Center for Civil Society Studies. But this contribution often goes unnoticed.
This year, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme and more than 40 international volunteer-based organizations, have come together to claim recognition for volunteers during the upcoming tenth anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers (IYV+10) in 2011. The Year will culminate in two United Nations General Assembly Sessions dedicated to volunteerism in December 2011 and the release of the first-ever report on the State of the World’s Volunteerism.
In marking this year, volunteer-based organizations not only aim at promoting and recognizing the diversity of volunteerism initiatives worldwide, but also calling on governments, UN entities and civil society actors to engage in creating an enabling environment to support volunteerism.
Volunteers of all ages, backgrounds and origins are recognized for their contributions today and during the entire coming year. Celebrations and events to mark the anniversary will be organized around the globe, such as the 21st IAVE World Volunteer Conference in January 2011 and the Global Volunteering Summit in Kenya in June 2011, to be organized through a tripartite partnership of UNV, IFRC and IAVE.
“This year is an opportunity to focus the world’s attention on the positive added value volunteers provide to governments and societies across the globe”, says UNV Executive Coordinator, Flavia Pansieri.