Celebrate the UN International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development
IAVE—the International Association for Volunteer Effort—is now accepting bids from interested organizations, communities and countries to host the 2026 IAVE World Volunteer Conference! This conference will be a special occasion for IAVE, coinciding with the celebration of the UN International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development (IYV+26). Read the call for proposals here. Final proposals must be submitted by 15 November 2024.
About IAVE
IAVE is the only global network of NGOs, businesses and individual volunteer leaders that exists for the sole purpose of promoting, strengthening and celebrating volunteering in all of the myriad of ways it exists throughout the world. Established by volunteers for volunteers in 1970, we now have individual and organizational members in some 125 countries, convene the Global Corporate Volunteer Council, work with national leadership organizations for volunteering, conduct research, serve as an advocate for volunteering with the United Nations, and organize world and regional conferences. To learn more about our work, please visit iave.org.
About World Volunteer Conferences
The IAVE World Volunteer Conference has been held every two years since 1970. The conferences are unique events for the global volunteer community, providing a platform for leaders from throughout the world to meet, discuss critical issues and challenges, share innovations, learn from and support one another. They also are moments to bring attention to the importance of volunteering as a powerful force to address the world’s most critical human, social, economic and environmental problems. In 2001, the conference was the kickoff event for the United Nations International Year of Volunteers; in 2011, it opened IYV+10, the 10th anniversary of the first international year. In 2026 it will complement and enhance the UN International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development.
Who can bid?
Bid proposals may come from any NGO that can demonstrate its leadership role for volunteering, either submitting on its own or as the lead organization of a coalition that may include other NGOs, businesses or agencies of government at any level. Proposals are not accepted from convention bureaus or convention centers or similar organizations or facilities unless they are submitted in partnership with a qualifying NGO that is designated as the lead organization.
For more information
We will be hosting two information sessions to answer questions and give updates on the bid process. It is our intention to assist groups in developing and submitting a proposal. Register for the sessions here: