Want to host an IAVE conference?

IAVE World Volunteer Conferences are unique events in the world of volunteering. They are occasions when all those involved in the sector can meet to celebrate and have a platform to share their knowledge and understanding of this great world movement.

The conferences attract distinguished international speakers, expert trainers and presenters and leaders from the worlds of volunteering, NGOs, research, government and the corporate sector. IAVE's World Volunteer Conferences provide opportunities for policy makers, professionals , advocates and grassroots volunteers to interact. 

Each IAVE conference is different, each special in its own way. Yet each builds on what has gone before and forms part of a unique history. At the conference it is expected that there will be plenary sessions, forums, workshops and an exhibition space. Critically, the conference will be preceded by a very dynamic Youth Conference.

Since 1970, IAVE’s World Volunteer Conference has been the primary global convening of leaders of volunteering from throughout the world.

In general IAVE will announce a "call for bids" for the next available World Volunteer Conference in good time before the preceding World Volunteer Conference, when the next host will be announced at the closing session in a flag-changing ceremony. To process the bid documents, the IAVE board of directors will appoint a committee, who will give recommendations to the full board to make the final decision at the directors meeting held immediately before the preceding conference. The winner is traditionally kept a secret until the closing ceremony.

When processing bid applications, the committee and the full board of directors will consider, but not be limited by, factors such as the volunteering pedigree of the bidding organization(s), the bidders' organizational capacity and familiarity with the IAVE association and its members, appropriate rotation from world region to region, and so on.

In general most bids come with a recommendation from the national volunteer center and/or the IAVE national/regional representative. IAVE has a network of members in countries in every region of the world, national representatives in some 50 countries, and regional representatives from six world regions on the board of directors.

IAVE World Volunteer Conferences are generally held every two years (exceptions were made during the International Year of the Volunteer in 2001 and its tenth anniversary in 2011). Here is a list of past and future IAVE conferences:

• 2016 – (Call for Bids may possibly be announced in 2013)
• 2014 – (To be announced at the 2012 World Volunteer Conference)
• 2012 – London, UK
• 2011 – Singapore – to kick-off the 10th anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers
• 2008 – Panama City, Panama
• 2006 – New Delhi, India
• 2004 – Barcelona, Spain
• 2002 – Seoul, South Korea
• 2001 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – to kick-off the International Year of Volunteers
• 1998 – Edmonton, Canada
• 1996 – Cape Town, South Africa
• 1994 – Tokyo, Japan
• 1992 – Buenos Aires, Argentina
• 1990 – Paris, France
• 1988 – Washington DC, USA
• 1986 – Sydney, Australia
• 1984 – Bogota, Colombia
• 1982 – Oxford, UK
• 1980 – Cret Berard, Switzerland
• 1978 – Istanbul, Turkey
• 1976 – San Francisco, USA
• 1974 – Nairobi, Kenya
• 1972 – Manila, Philippines
• 1970 – Los Angeles, USA

Check here for reference information on the last bid annnouncement.