International Volunteer Day: 5 December 2017

International Volunteer Day, mandated by the United Nations, is celebrated annually on 5 December.

The United Nations (UN) announced International Volunteer Day (IVD) for Economic and Social Development on 20 November 1997 and proclaimed 2001 as the International Year of Volunteers (IYV). The year aimed to further the recognition of volunteers, and promoting the benefits of voluntary service. In 2001, the UN adopted a set of recommendations to support volunteering and set 5 December 2001 as the first International Day of Volunteers.

IVD aims to celebrate the efforts of individual volunteers and volunteer organizations and to promote their work among their communities.

The 2017 theme for International Volunteers Day is ‘Volunteers Act First. Here. Everywhere.’

IVD 2017’s theme recognizes the contributions of volunteers as first responders in times of crisis. Volunteers answer calls in times of need, helping save lives, and supporting those who want to continue living their lives with dignity. Risking their lives every day to care for people affected by conflict, violence and humanitarian crises, volunteers face many dangers to help others. This year, IVD promotes the contributions of such volunteers at the local, national, and international level.

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) program contributes to peace and development by advocating for the recognition of volunteers and working with partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming.

Every year, over 6,500 UN Volunteers serve with UN entities in some of the most challenging environments across the world, and 12,000 UN Online Volunteers complete over 20,000 assignments online through the UNV Online Volunteering Service.

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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