Beginning with the words “We the people”, the United Nations Charter reminds us the crafting solution to global challenges is a job not only for Governments, but for people, communities and civil society.
Around the world, people are increasingly recognizing that our unsustainable production and consumption patterns need to change. In order to achieve this, political will alone is not sufficient. People need to participate and engage
This week all over the world we are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the International Year of Volunteer (IYV+10). The IYV+10 throughout the year aims to improve recognition, facilitation, networking and promotion of the impact of volunteers and volunteer-involving organizations worldwide on peace and development. Volunteering matters because volunteers have the power to change lives. They build social cohesion, enhance civic participation, mitigate conflict and contribute to a society’s well-being. But, for volunteerism’s full potential to be realized, more conducive policies are needed, and organizations need to advocate for the key role volunteer action has in attaining sustainable development. These are some of the major issues that have come out of this, IYV+10.
The Celebrations culminated on the International Volunteer Day (IVD) of the 5th of December 2011, when the UN General Assembly (UNGA) held sessions on volunteerism and launched the first-ever State of the World’s Volunteerism Report (SWVR: Universal Values for Global Well-being), which showcases the positive impact volunteers have made at the global, regional and national levels.
 
The Network of the Mongolian Volunteer Organizations, representing the Mongolian voluntary sector, in close collaboration with both national and international volunteering organizations and private sectors, is co-organizing the Celebration Week of IYV+10 during 5-9 December, which is supported by the United Nations Mongolia and facilitated by the United Nations Volunteers Programme (UNV). The Celebration Week was officially observed in Mongolia on the 8th of December 2011 as the Celebration Day of IYV+10.
Download IYV+10 Brochure
The first UN State of the World’s Volunteerism Report: Universal Values for Global Well-being:
This first State of the World’s Volunteerism Report (SWVR) launched in many countries around the world as part of global and national events being supported by UNV to mark IYV+10. In Mongolia the report was launched on Thursday afternoon, November 8th, during the ceremony of “Celebration Day of IYV+10 and IVD 2010” at the Conference Room of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT).
As an expression of its convening role at the global level for IYV+10, UNV has considered this an appropriate moment to commission a global publication entitled State of the World’s Volunteerism Report (SWVR). This report offers both information and advocacy for the role and contribution of volunteerism in peace and development which includes achieving the MDGs. Please visit to get full version of the report: http://www.unv.org/about-us/swvr2011/report.html
The focus of the report is on the universal values that motivate people the world over to volunteer for the common good and on the impact of volunteer action on society and individuals. UNV believe in the power of volunteering to promote cooperation, encourage participation and contribute to the well-being of individuals and of society as a whole.
As we mark the tenth anniversary of International Year of Volunteers, the contribution of volunteerism is still only partially recognized. It is an afterthought rather than an organic component of programmes designed to promote citizen participation and societal well-being.
With this report, UNV hopes to make the case for the recognition of volunteerism as an essential component for the sustainable, equitable progress of communities and nations. In a rapidly changing environment, volunteerism is a constant. Its forms of expression may vary but the central values of solidarity and commitment that lie at its core remain strong and universal. They are found in all cultures and societies and are a true expression of our common humanity.
The report provides numerous examples of the transformational changes that volunteers experience and produce. It is shown why volunteerism is crucial to human development. More importantly, UNV argues that a truly human society needs to be driven by the values of trust, solidarity and mutual respect which inspire all volunteers.
In preparing this first United Nations report on volunteerism, it addresses numerous definitional and methodological issues. UNV is well aware that further study and research are needed to refine our understanding of the nature and extent of this expression of human endeavor. This report represents the starting point for a broader debate, not a definitive answer. In future years, it is intended to deepen our understanding of the motivations, scope, value and impact of volunteerism worldwide.
UNV
The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization that promotes volunteerism to support peace and development worldwide. Volunteerism can transform the pace and nature of development and it benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer. UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for volunteerism globally, encouraging partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming, and mobilizing volunteers. In addition, the UNV programme in Mongolia is helping to establish a favorable environment for volunteerism in the country, and advocating for volunteerism at the national level. The first national UN Volunteer in Mongolia was recruited in 1995 and 153 national volunteers have served since then.
http://www.un-mongolia.mn/unv
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