February 29, 2012
A slice of International Volunteer Day activities
On December 5th, volunteer organizations, government branches, corporate offices and individual volunteers around the world celebrated International Volunteer Day (IVD).
Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1985, IVD is now marked by thousands of volunteers involved in a range initiatives, including clean-up campaigns, conferences, exhibitions, and morning teas all aimed at highlighting the role of volunteers in their communities. IVD showcases the contributions of volunteers at the local, national, and international levels.
The Volunteer and Service Enquiry Southern Africa launched a 2011 research report on International Voluntary Service (IVS). The study was supported by Trust Africa and looks at the experience of IVS from the perspective of European volunteers who have served in African countries, and host organisations and host communities in Mozambique and Tanzania.
In Central America, IAVE Panama held a "Leaders Meeting of Volunteers: Volunteers Transforming Panama" celebration at the Technological University of Panama.
In Australia, Volunteering VSA&NT launched a new partnership with Community CPS Australia, a local organisation that recognises the value volunteerism brings to the community. This was a first for Australia, as Community CPS will work with VSA&NT to promote volunteer roles to their 180,000+ members and their staff. The day also featured giveaways and volunteering festivities.
In Canada, Volunteer Canada co-hosted the Canadian launch of the United Nations "State of the World Volunteerism Report". The Volunteer Bureau of Montreal hosted an event to celebrate their 75th anniversary. The Volunteer Bureau of Montreal was founded in 1937, and was the first volunteer center established in Canada. GCVC coordinator Sarah Hayes was in Calgary to give a speech on corporate volunteering at Volutneer Calgary.
In the United States, at the United Nations General Assembly, Member States discussed volunteerism; and the United Nations Volunteers programme launched the first State of the World’s Volunteerism Report. At two side events with stakeholders, partnerships for volunteering, and advancing volunteering beyond 2011 were on the agenda. The day closed with the opening of a multimedia exhibition on ‘Volunteers of the World’.
What did you do for IVD? Add your IVD activities in the comment section below, or send reports and photos to info@iave.org.
(Photo: AYAD Program)
Comments
editor wrote:
On December 13, 2011
Links to Dec 5 UN webcasts
More photos, videos, reports, write-ups and so on will be made available on UNV's website over the next weeks and months.
editor wrote:
On December 11, 2011
National Volunteer Month in the Philippines
To celebrate the National Volunteer Month (December in the Philippines), IAVE-Philippines held a National Volunteer Managers Conference on Dec. 1-2 as a way to share volunteering experience, network and provide training on volunteer management skills. Another output of the two-day conference was a draft code of ethics for volunteers, which we hope to ratify before the year is over. The conference theme was: Sustaining Volunteerism for Development after IYV+10.
On December 5, 2011, IAVE-Philippines participated in the UNV celebration of International Volunteer Day by giving a report on the state of volunteerism in the NPI sector.
On December 16, 2011, IAVE-Philippines will join in the Outstanding Volunteer Awarding ceremonies held by the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA).
editor wrote:
On December 9, 2011
Allowing the volunteer to manifest in India
The State of World Volunteerism Report - Universal Values for Global Well Being - was lanched in India on December 5, 2011 at UNConference Hall, New Delhi.Ms. Kiran Mehra Kerpelman, Director UNIC read out the address of the UN-Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Ms. Alexandra Solovieva, Deputy Country Director (Programme), UNDP India presented the Report followed by a keynote address by Mr. Patrice Coeur-Bizot, UN Resident Co-ordinator & UNDP Resident Representative, India.
Dr. Syeda Saiyidain Hameed, Member Planning Commission and a well known friend of voluntary organisations said that she was sad that the report gave such a low rate for India's volunteerism where Indians are always volunteering and Gandhiji, probably the worlds greatest volunteer. She spoke about how he used to just send people to volunteer in the most difficult circumstances and said that the Report was very timely for India since the drafting of the 12th Five-Year Plan was to commence and she would put all the findings of this Report into the Plan.
This address was followed by IAVE APD C Indira Dasgupta, Director, Peoples Institute for Development and Training, India who spoke on the need for nuturing a governance environment that allows for the "volunteer" in every person to manifest. She gave some suggestions to the esteemed panel (a) that a countrydesk be created within UNV that can take this SWVR and 2001+10 activities forward (b) that the Report becomes a periodic activity (c) Volunteering should be researched and volunteerism challenges documented through the action research paradigm and not only as to why and how volunteerism occurs (d) Funding for cross sectoral, cross-cultural , multi-stakeholder dialogue should be encouraged to understand similarities and differences in volunteering paradigms.
In her closing remarks Ms. Caitlin Wiesen, Country Director, UNDP India commended all the recommendations by Indira and opened the house for discussions.
Besides this:
On 8th and 9th of December - a two day Convention with about 200 - 250 youth is being organised on "Promoting a Culture of Volunteering for Community Building" organised by Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti, United Nations india Connect, National Foundation for Communal Harmony and United Nations Volunteers, Nehru Yuva Kendra, where I gave the keynote address yesterday. Today another large Contingent of about 200 Youth called "Youth for Human Rights" will Walk for Human Rights and join in this Convention. they will be carrying the Red banner of IAVE and IYV+10
editor wrote:
On December 8, 2011
Arab region roundup
IAVE board member for the Arab region, Patricia Nabti, will be giving two presentations at different universities in Lebanon for a late IVD, postponed by the Shiite holy day 'Ashoura.
Here are some links to IVD in Oman:
In Saudi Arabia.
And in Algeria.
wrote:
On December 8, 2011
International Volunteer Day (IVD) 2011 in Kenya
In Kenya, more than 1,000 volunteers participated in the celebration of the International Volunteer Day (IVD) and showcased that "Volunteering Matters". In the morning, the UNV coordinated a breakfast meeting with top Volunteeer Involving Organizations (VIO) Network Executives, Top Government and UNDP Kenya Officials in the launch of the State of the World Volunteerism Report.
Later on there was a general IVD celebrations of the IVD and official close of the IYV+10. The celebrations were in 3 different regions (Nairobi City, Rift-Valley Region and Eastern Region). Volunteers from different organizations shared their stories while the VIO network chair encouraged organizations to continue celebrating and appreciating the volunteers in their work. Volunteers were also asked to do their best in their endevors and continue helping the world become a better place as they are the backbone to development.
Agnetta Marco
Coordinator, VIO Network
editor wrote:
On December 8, 2011
Australian volunteers hold a week-long Congress of free events
More than 300 volunteers and representatives from community organisations gathered in Adelaide for the 10th State Volunteer Congress, 'To Infinity and Beyond', on International Volunteer Day, Monday 5 December 2011.
editor wrote:
On December 7, 2011
AA NYC Cares
American Airlines coordinated activities for its employee in partnership with NYC Cares and organized a coat drive for the homeless. The effort turned international when American Airlines employees invited colleagues from our oneworld alliance partners. These colleagues hailing from as close as Latin America and as far away as Australia - and Europe and Asia in between - recently moved into the same facilities on 2 Park Avenue in NYC. Doing good deeds on International Volunteer Day was not only the right thing to do, but also a great opportunity to bring the new airline partners together as a team.
Also known as the Capital of the World, this cosmopolitan city served as the background for over 100 employees at AA city facilities and others at NYC-area airport (JFK, LGA and EWR) also supporting food banks and other community organizatons. These activities will continue through the end of the week followed by additional volunteer projects connected to Season of Giving, the annual campaign for global employee giving and volunteering at American Airlines ending on December 31st. CoatDrive_NYC_2011.jpg is a picture of an employee at our oneworld alliance facilities. IVDPic_NYC_2011.jpg is a pic featured on volunteeringmatters.unv.org.