International Year of Volunteers was designated for 2001 by the
United Nations General Assembly
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA or GA; french: link=no, Assemblée générale, AG) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as the main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ of the UN. Curr ...
. The initiative aimed at increased recognition, facilitation, networking and promotion of
volunteering
Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual or group wikt:gratis, freely giving time and labor for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. O ...
, to highlight the achievements of the millions of volunteers worldwide who devote their time to serving others, and to encourage more people globally to engage in volunteering.
Origins and goals
The concept for a
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
year to recognize volunteerism first emerged within the UN system at a 1996 policy forum in
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
by UNV and
United Nations University
The (UNU) is the think tank and academic arm of the United Nations. Headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan, with diplomatic status as a UN institution, its mission is to help resolve global issues related to human development and welfare thro ...
(UNU). A February 1997 proposal of the Government of Japan was transmitted through the
UN Secretary General
The secretary-general of the United Nations (UNSG or SG) is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations and head of the United Nations Secretariat, one of the United Nations System#Six principal organs, six principal organs of the Un ...
be placed on the agenda of the
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in July 1997. ECOSOC, in its resolution 1977/44 of 22 July 1997, recommended to the UN General Assembly that it adopt the resolution proclaiming 2001 the International Year of Volunteers. The UN General Assembly, in its 52nd session on 20 November 1997 in Resolution 52/17, co-sponsored by 123 countries, passed the ECOSOC resolution, thereby proclaiming 2001 as the International Year of Volunteers. The
United Nations Volunteers programme
United may refer to:
Places
* United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community
* United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
Arts and entertainment Films
* ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film
* ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...
(UNV), part of the
United Nations Development Programme
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)french: Programme des Nations unies pour le développement, PNUD is a United Nations agency tasked with helping countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth and human dev ...
(UNDP), was designated in the resolution as the international focal point.
["IYV 2001: A chronology" published a]
unv.org
, by UN Volunteers, accessed August 11, 2016
Objectives of IYV were:
* increased recognition of volunteers and their contributions
* increased facilitation and support for volunteerism
* promoting the achievements of volunteers
* "attracting more requests for the deployment of volunteers, at attracting offers of service from new candidates with a view to enhancing operational activities, and generally creating a climate of public and official opinion even more supportive of voluntary action"
Administration
Sharon Capeling-Alakija was the Executive Coordinator of United Nations Volunteers during IYV 2001. As the international focal point, UNV, based in
Bonn
The federal city of Bonn ( lat, Bonna) is a city on the banks of the Rhine in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, with a population of over 300,000. About south-southeast of Cologne, Bonn is in the southernmost part of the Rhine-Ruhr r ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, took the lead in all organizing and promotion regarding the year internationally.
The ''www.iyv2001.org'' website, launched in December 1998 by UNV,
provided resources for United Nations organizations, non-governmental organizations and governments to recognize the year in some way. The resources provided by the site included:
* an IYV overview slide presentation
* a slide presentation on IYV national committees
* a side presentation on planning
* IYV banners / graphics for web pages
* suggestions on local IYV activities and partnerships
The IYV logo was a creation and volunteer contribution from Argentine designer Sandra Rojas, and was provided in the six official UN languages as well as a composite logo that combines all six in one.
Programs
UN Secretary-General
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan (; 8 April 193818 August 2018) was a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh secretary-general of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006. Annan and the UN were the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize. He was the founder ...
opened IYV in November 2000 in
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
. Other speakers at the event included Capeling-Alakija;
Felipe VI
Felipe VI (;,
* eu, Felipe VI.a,
* ca, Felip VI,
* gl, Filipe VI, . Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Grecia; born 30 January 1968) is King of Spain. He is the son of former King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía, and h ...
of
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
(then Prince of
Asturias
Asturias (, ; ast, Asturies ), officially the Principality of Asturias ( es, Principado de Asturias; ast, Principáu d'Asturies; Galician-Asturian: ''Principao d'Asturias''), is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in nor ...
;
Nadia Comaneci
Nadia is a female name. Variations include Nadja, Nadya, Nadine, Nadiya, and Nadiia. Most variations of the name are derived from Arabic, Slavic languages, or both.
In Slavic, names similar to ''Nadia'' mean "hope" in many Slavic languages: ...
, Olympic Gold Medalist; representatives from the governments of
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
,
Uganda
}), is a landlocked country in East Africa
East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territor ...
and
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
; Dr. Astrid Heiberg, then President of the
(IFRC);
Anita Roddick
Dame Anita Lucia Roddick (23 October 1942 – 10 September 2007) was a British businesswoman, human rights activist and environmental campaigner, best known as the founder of the British version of The Body Shop, now The Body Shop Internationa ...
, then CEO of
The Body Shop
The Body Shop International Limited, trading as The Body Shop, is a British cosmetics, skin care and perfume company.
Founded in 1976 by Anita Roddick, the company currently has a range of 1,000 products sold in about 3,000 stores, divided b ...
;
Bernard Kouchner
Bernard Kouchner KBE (born 1 November 1939) is a French politician and doctor. He is the co-founder of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and Médecins du Monde. From 2007 until 2010, he was the French Minister of Foreign and European Affairs ...
, then of
UNMIK
The United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) is the officially mandated mission of the United Nations in Kosovo. The UNMIK describes its mandate as being to "help the United Nations Security Council achieve an overall ...
in
Kosovo
Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
;
Sergio Vieira de Mello
Sergio may refer to:
* Sergio (given name), for people with the given name Sergio
* Sergio (carbonado), the largest rough diamond ever found
* ''Sergio'' (album), a 1994 album by Sergio Blass
* ''Sergio'' (2009 film), a documentary film
* ''Se ...
, then of UNTAET in
East Timor
East Timor (), also known as Timor-Leste (), officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is an island country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the exclave of Oecusse on the island's north-weste ...
; UN Volunteers from the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
and
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
; and representatives from
NetAid NetAid was an anti-poverty initiative. It started as a joint venture between the United Nations Development Programme and Cisco Systems. It became an independent nonprofit organization in 2001. In 2007, NetAid became a part of Mercy Corps.
Launch ...
. Annan also appointed the former President of
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
,
Jerry Rawlings
Jerry John Rawlings (22 June 194712 November 2020) was a Ghanaian military officer and politician who led the country for a brief period in 1979, and then from 1981 to 2001. He led a military junta until 1992, and then served two terms as the de ...
, as the first IYV Eminent Person, to help raise the profile of millions of volunteers working for peace and development around the world. Other IYV Eminent Persons named for the year included Crown Prince Felipe, Roddick, and the former Executive Director of the
United Nations Population Fund
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), formerly the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, is a UN agency aimed at improving reproductive and maternal health worldwide. Its work includes developing national healthcare strategies ...
(UNFPA), Dr.
Nafis Sadik
Nafis Sadik (18 August 1929 – 14 August 2022) was a Pakistani physician, Special Adviser to the UN Secretary General with additional responsibilities as Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Asia, and former executive director of the United Nations Pop ...
.
At the Word Volunteer Conference in
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...
, in honor of IYV, the International Association for Volunteer Effort re-issued a revised Universal Declaration on Volunteering, first issued in 1990 during the World Volunteer Conference in Paris. "This Declaration supports the right of every woman, man and child to associate freely and to volunteer regardless of their cultural and ethnic origin, religion, age, gender, and physical, social or economic condition."
Individual countries also created their own national IYV websites, and events were held around the world to promote the goals of IYV, such as the official launch event in New York City.
In the US, the
Points of Light Foundation and the
Association of Junior Leagues International
The Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. (Junior League or JL) is a private, nonprofit educational women's volunteer organization aimed at improving communities and the social, cultural, and political fabric of civil society. With ...
(AJLI) partnered to convene and lead the IYV USA Steering Committee. Members of the committee included the National Council of Volunteer Centers, National Council on Workplace Volunteering,
Association for Volunteer Administration
The Association for Volunteer Administration (AVA) was created in 1961 as a nonprofit association for those that work with volunteers, in any setting. For more than 44 years, it was the largest professional association in the world for managers of ...
, National Parents and Teachers Association and
Make A Difference Day
''USA Weekend'' was an American weekend newspaper magazine owned by the Gannett Company. Structured as a sister publication to Gannett's flagship newspaper ''USA Today'' and distributed in the Sunday editions of participating local newspapers, ...
. The USA's IYV website, ''www.iyv2001us.org'', was launched in September 2000.
On 29 March 2001, the
United Nations Postal Administration
The United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) is the postal agency of the United Nations. It issues postage stamps and postal stationery, denominated in United States dollars for the office in New York, in Swiss francs for the office in Ge ...
(UNPA) issued a set of six commemorative stamps and a souvenir card in honor of IYV.
Four IYV 2001 Stamps were issued by the
Bhutan Post on June 15.
The Royal Australian Mint struck a $1 coin to commemorate the occasion. A number of volunteer organizations (e.g. South Australia Fire Services, New Zealand Emergrency Servcies and St. Andrew's First Aid struck and issued a medal to commemorate IYV to its volunteers.
Charles, Prince of Wales
Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to ...
unveiled the design of a 10-cent Canadian circulation coin commemorating IYV in April 2001. The coin went into circulation later that year. It was produced by
Royal Canadian Mint
}) is the mint of Canada and a Crown corporation, operating under the ''Royal Canadian Mint Act''. The shares of the Mint are held in trust for the Crown in right of Canada.
The Mint produces all of Canada's circulation coins, and manufactures ...
and adapted from a photo provided by the
March of Dimes
March of Dimes is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies. The organization was founded by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1938, as the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, to comba ...
.
According to a press release by UNV in October 2001, lawmakers in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, Germany, Spain and the UK passed pro-volunteer legislation in 2001, and new laws were proposed in Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nepal, Senegal and Tanzania. Also for the year, UNV and the
Independent Sector
Independent Sector is a coalition of nonprofits, foundations and corporate giving programs. Founded in 1980, it is the first organization to combine the grant seekers and grantees.
Located in Washington, D.C., Independent Sector largely works on f ...
released "Measuring Volunteering: A Practical Toolkit", a survey guide to measure the economic contribution of volunteering. The press release says the toolkit was adapted for use in
Botswana
Botswana (, ), officially the Republic of Botswana ( tn, Lefatshe la Botswana, label=Setswana, ), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory being the Kalahar ...
,
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, Lao PDR,
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...
and
Mongolia
Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...
, and that research on volunteering had begun in
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...
,
Madagascar
Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...
,
Namibia
Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...
,
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
and
Tanzania
Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...
.
Solicited by UNV, musicians from around the world donated and wrote songs about volunteerism, submitting them to UNV for possible inclusion on the IYV2001 website and in a CD. Chosen songs were offered via the website to download for free. UNV also offered a CD with 27 songs in nine languages, by musicians from 18 countries, in celebration of IYV. The CD featured Jamaican reggae star
Tony Rebel
Patrick George Anthony Barrett (born 15 January 1962), better known by his stage name Tony Rebel, is a Jamaican reggae deejay.
Career
Born in Manchester Parish, Jamaica, Barrett was initially a singer, appearing as Papa Tony or Tony Ranking in ...
, who donated the song, "Not all about money", and Portugal's
Paulo de Carvalho
Paulo de Carvalho (born Manuel Paulo de Carvalho Costa, in Lisbon, on 15 May 1947) is a Portuguese singer.
Career
Carvalho co-founded the band The Sheiks in 1965. He sang and played the drums. He also played an instrumental role, either as a fo ...
, who donated the song "Vai e faz" (Go and Do). Most of the songs praised the virtues of volunteers, but the last song, by Dave Greenfield of Canada, was meant to provoke political debate and question social issues about volunteers.
The United Colors of
Benetton's communication campaign for autumn 2001 was produced in collaboration with UNV and honored IYV. Instead of professional models, the campaign featured photos of volunteers, such as a tattooed former member of a street gang who volunteered in anti-violence activities, a young lawyer volunteering to promote and defend human rights, a trans-gendered person who volunteered to distribute condoms amongst prostitutes, and an elderly tap dancer who entertained residents in homes for the elderly. The campaign was promoted throughout Europe, the United States, South America and parts of Asia, in newspapers, magazines, and billboards. A special issue of Benetton's magazine ''Colors'' was published for the campaign in November 2001.
The final event for the year by UNV, the International Symposium on Volunteering, was 18–21 November 2001 in Geneva, Switzerland. The event was attended by representatives from most of the IYV national committees, and provided workshops to discuss the outcomes of IYV 2001.
Then
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
issued a statement on 5 December 2001, noting, "At the end of the year, that the United Nations dedicated to Volunteer work, I wish to express my heartfelt appreciation for your constant dedication, in every part of the world, in going to meet those who live in poverty. Whether you work individually or gathered together in special associations, you represent for children, the elderly, the sick, people in difficulty, refugees and the persecuted a ray of hope that pierces the darkness of solitude and encourages them to overcome the temptations of violence and egotism."
The General Assembly marked the closing of IYV on 5 December 2001 by adopting a resolution on recommendations for volunteer action, commending the ongoing contributions of all volunteers to society, and encouraging all people to become more engaged in voluntary activities. The assembly also decided that two plenary meetings at its fifty-seventh session on 5 December 2002 should be devoted to the outcome of the IYV and its follow-up. Specific recommendations on ways governments and the UN system could support volunteering were contained in an annex to the resolution.
Worldwide volunteer activities of the Vienna-based NGO community were presented at the Vienna International Centre on 11 December 2001 to mark IYV 2001 and the
International Day of Human Rights, jointly organized by the
United Nations Information Service Vienna
The United Nations Information Service Vienna (UNIS Vienna) is part of a 63-strong network of United Nations Information Centres spanning the globe, which are part of the United Nations Department of Public Information. They share a common goal ...
(UNIS) and CONGO (Conference of NGOs in consultative relationship with the UN).
European Year of Volunteering
The European Year of Volunteering (EYV) was in 2011, launched by the
European Commission
The European Commission (EC) is the executive of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission (informally known as "Commissioners") headed by a President. It includes an administrative body o ...
to celebrate the volunteerism efforts of Europeans and chosen to correspond with the 10th anniversary of IYV. It was originally an initiative of the EYV 2011 Alliance, an informal gathering of volunteer networks, such as
Caritas, the
International Committee of the Red Cross
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC; french: Comité international de la Croix-Rouge) is a humanitarian organization which is based in Geneva, Switzerland, and it is also a three-time Nobel Prize Laureate. State parties (signato ...
,
European Youth Forum
The European Youth Forum (from french: Youth Forum Jeunesse, YFJ) is an international non-profit association and serves as a platform and advocacy group of the national youth councils and international non-governmental youth organisations in Euro ...
and th
Centre for European Volunteering The web site address was ''www.europa.eu/volunteering'', and the site is now archived on the European Commission website.
For 2021, the ten year anniversary of EYV, the Centre for European Volunteering have launched an EYVPlus10 campaign, firstly as a reflection on what has been achieved in the legacy of EYV 2011, but also as a response to the call to action which came from the UN Global Technical Meeting on volunteering "how to enable volunteering to be a transformative force for the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs". The anniversary is also seeing many countries, such as the Netherlands and Hungary, hosting their own, national years of volunteering.
International Year of Volunteers Plus 10
In 2011, ten years after IYV, under
General Assembly
A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company.
Specific examples of general assembly include:
Churches
* General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of presby ...
Resolution 63/153 (2008) the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
IYV+10 was recognized and promoted by UNV to renew the goals of the original IYV and to encourage people's contributions to peace and the
Millennium Development Goals
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were eight international development goals for the year 2015 that had been established following the Millennium Summit of the United Nations in 2000, following the adoption of the United Nations Millenniu ...
through volunteering. National and international UN Volunteers, as well as
online volunteers, were recruited to support work on IYV+10, strengthen links with stakeholders and partners at the national level, and monitor initiatives developed during the Year. Activities were promoted via the UNV web site www.worldvolunteerweb.org. During the first half of 2011, a series of five regional consultation meetings were organized in
Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...
(28–20 March),
Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
(18–19 April), the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
(3–4 May), and
Senegal
Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...
(30–31 May for
Francophone Africa
African French (french: français africain) is the generic name of the varieties of the French language spoken by an estimated 141 million people in Africa in 2018, spread across 34 countries and territories.29 full members of the Organisa ...
and 6–7 June for Anglophone Africa). These events brought together hundreds of stakeholders from civil society, the private sector, national authorities and academia, UNV Field Units and other United Nations entities. A global conference on 'Volunteering for a sustainable future' was held 15–17 September in
Budapest
Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...
in partnership with the
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and th
International Association for Volunteer Effort (IAVE) The conference brought together UN member states and volunteer-involving organizations, plus partners from academia and the private sector. The 64th Annual UN DPI/NGO Conference was held from 3–5 September hosted by the
German government
The Federal Cabinet or Federal Government (german: link=no, Bundeskabinett or ') is the chief executive body of the Federal Republic of Germany. It consists of the Federal Chancellor and cabinet ministers. The fundamentals of the cabinet's or ...
and the
city of Bonn. The event theme was 'Sustainable Societies, Responsive Citizens'.
See also
*
European Volunteer Centre
The Centre for European Volunteering (CEV) (until 1 July 2020 known as the European Volunteer Centre), established in 1992, is the European network of over 60 organisations dedicated to the promotion of, and support to, volunteers and volunteering ...
(CEV)
*
Global Youth Service Day
Global Youth Service Day (GYSD), originally launched and known as National Youth Service Day in the United States, is a coordinated annual event which voluntary gathers young people around the world in conducting community service, service learni ...
*
United Nations International Years
*
International Volunteer Day
The International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development (5 December), more commonly referred to as International Volunteer Day (IVD), is an international observance mandated by the UN General Assembly in 1985. It offers an opportunity ...
*
Mandela Day
Nelson Mandela International Day (or Mandela Day) is an annual international day in honour of Nelson Mandela, celebrated each year on 18 July, Mandela's birthday. The day was officially declared by the United Nations in November 2009, with the ...
*
MLK Day of service
*
Mitzvah Day
Mitzvah Day International is an annual day of faith-based social action that takes place in November each year, primarily in the United Kingdom. On Mitzvah Day each year, community groups and individuals undertake a range of volunteer projects for ...
*
National Volunteer Week
National Volunteer Week is an annual celebration observed in many countries, to promote and show appreciation for volunteerism and volunteering. In the United States, it is organized by the Points of Light
Points of Light is an internationa ...
*
Random Acts of Kindness Day
Random Acts of Kindness Day is a day to celebrate and encourage random acts of kindness. "It's just a day to celebrate kindness and the whole pay it forward mentality", said Tracy Van Kalsbeek, executive director of the Stratford Perth Community ...
*
Sewa Day
Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA), meaning "service" in several Indian languages, is a trade union based in Ahmedabad, India, that promotes the rights of low-income, independently employed female workers. With over 1.6 million particip ...
*
Subbotnik
*
World Kindness Day
World Kindness Day is an international observance on 13 November. It was introduced in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement, a coalition of nations' kindness NGOs. It is observed in many countries, including Canada, Australia, Nigeria and the Uni ...
References
External links
International Year of Volunteers, 2001 - Australian Internet Sites"How Can We Assure That the International Year of Volunteers 2001 Has a Global Impact?" E-Volunteerism online roundtable discussion of volunteerism experts from Wales, Korea, Australia, Switzerland and the United States on ways to maximise the International Year of Volunteers 2001 on a global scale.
{{authority control
2001 in economics
2001 in international relations
United Nations Development Group
*
Volunteers
Volunteering is a voluntary act of an individual or group freely giving time and labor for community service. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Others serve ...