During the first half of 2016, 32 UN Online Volunteers from 15 countries, of various ages and socioeconomic profiles, participated for 17 weeks in a digital campaign to promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and express their opinions on what these new goals mean for the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region.
Between February and May 2016, these volunteers dedicated their time, experience and knowledge to the local realities of their regions or countries, and shared their ideas and impressions about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in their social networks, mainly Facebook and Twitter, using the hashtags #ODS_LAC and #UNVLAC.
The initiative sprung from the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme’s Latin America and Caribbean Portfolio, with the idea to strengthen UNV’s online presence in the region, especially among Spanish and Portuguese speakers.
Through online volunteering and the focus on SDGs, this project has opened a new channel of communication with people that use social networks as a medium to express their ideas based on the respect of differences, social inclusion and gender equality.
More than 10,000 people received the posts directly, but the campaign also had an indirect, wider reach, thanks to posts shared among other networks. The hashtag created to spread and connect the campaign, #ODS_LAC, was used by other individuals and organizations, inside and outside the United Nations, thus connecting the campaign with similar efforts external to UNV.
Five UN Online Volunteers have been asked to share their experiences throughout this project. Their selection was based on their outstanding contribution to the campaign.
During the following months we will get to know three female and two male UN Online Volunteers and their experiences of sharing their knowledge about the SDGs related to the social realities that they encounter in Nicaragua, Venezuela, Brazil, Mexico, El Salvador and Colombia.
Their contribution fills us with pride and motivation to continue promoting volunteerism globally.
Read the story of UN Online Volunteer Cindy Fabiola Alfaro
Read the story of UN Online Volunteer Emperatriz Nieves Bustamante
Read the story of UN Online Volunteer João Antônio dos Santos Lima
Read the story of UN Online Volunteer Néstor Liendo
Read the story of UN Online Volunteer Marely Salcedo Beltrán