Volunteers Involving Organizations Network (VIONet) in Sierra Leone was one of many IAVE member organizations that submitted slides to show how its work is impacting the Sustainable Development Goals.
Showing the impact of volunteers for sustainable development
From 22-25 October, over 800 corporate, NGO, academic and government leaders from every region of the world met together in Busan, South Korea, to focus on the impact volunteering can make on the Sustainable Development Goals.
With major support from BSN Busan Bank and UPS, People Power: Creating a Sustainable Future through Volunteering was a springboard into the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development, designated by the United Nations for 2026.
‘None of the good in the world is possible without volunteers’
The 27th IAVE World Volunteer Conference showed the solidarity that unfolds when people act in service, IAVE Executive Director Nichole Cirillo told the crowd in her closing address. In the midst of many challenges, and many conflicts, every participant came holding the belief that through volunteering we come together as friends.
“Times like these when the world around us feels uncertain, is exactly the right time to remind ourselves of what we all know for sure: That none of the good in the world is possible without volunteers,” Cirillo said.
“People will always tell you stories of darkness, but you can be the one to tell the story of light, how through volunteering and its foundation within peaceful, civil societies, we will find a way forward to understanding and peace.”
Learn more about the 27th IAVE World Volunteer Conference on social media through the hashtag #WorldVolunteerConference. Please follow IAVE on Facebook and Instagram at @iaveofficial, or LinkedIn and X at @iave. Like, comment and share to help the impact of volunteering spread further!