Most UN Volunteers in Balkan countries are highly skilled individuals, eager to apply and transfer their previous experience in a new context. They are motivated more by the tasks at hand and the opportunity to contribute projects of value. --Rimma Sabayeva, UNV Regional Manager for Europe and CIS

Together we heal: We heal together when we all get the care we need Adow Mohamed Ibrahim is a Somali Refugee UN Volunteer for Youth Activities. Since October 2020, he has been serving with UNHCR in Dadaab in youth programmes. 

In the collective imagination, 'refugee' refers to a person living in a white tent, or who is homeless, very vulnerable and inspires pity and compassion. We challenge you to a mindshift, as we share the story of two refugees who dismantled this perception. Mikaelou Demba Dia (33) and Ibrahima Watt (36) arrived from Mauritania in Senegal in 1989 due to the Senegalese-Mauritanian conflict. They are among 20 refugees awarded an Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative (DAFI) scholarship to pursue studies in Law and Human Resources, respectively.

Dejen Yehalaw Gebreslassie (Ethiopia) is an international UN Volunteer serving as an Interpreter/Translation Officer with UNHCR in Nyamata Field Office, Rwanda, which mainly engages evacuees from Libya. The evacuees temporarily reside in the Gashora Emergency Transit Mechanism (ETM).

Is this a coincidence or fate? The first Swiss UN volunteer has his office right across from the SEF and now works closely with the Human Security Department. To celebrate the completion of the 100th Swiss UN Youth Volunteer mission, we meet Lukas Heim, now a research fellow in the National Commission for the Prevention of Torture (NCPT) and responsible for mandates at the Swiss Center of Expertise in Human Rights (SCHR), to talk about his first assignment and what followed afterwards.

Gulfam Mustafa, UN Volunteer Partnership and Resource Mobilization Officer serving with the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Guinea Bissau  As an international UN Volunteer, I live in a country thousands of miles away from my home. I have my family and kids back in Pakistan. Following the news of increasing COVID-19 cases causes me fear, anxiety and mental stress.

Now a year into the pandemic, global health matters have become the most important issue facing peace and development worldwide. Indeed, as a part of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, good health and wellbeing are crucial not only for those in need, but also for a more prosperous and sustainable world. "No country will be safe from COVID-19 until all countries are safe." --UN Secretary-General António Guterres

Calling on YOU to join our Talent Pool! UNV is lining up skilled professionals to support UN entities – and through them UN Member States – in their COVID-19 vaccination campaigns. This includes key partners such as the UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), International Organization for Migration (IOM), World Food Programme (WFP) and World Health Organization (WHO).

During these past 10 months, while we were all facing a global crisis devastating our socio-economic systems, adaptation, resilience and solidarity have enabled us to respond.

#TogetherWeCan Anthem The #TogetherWeCan Anthem was  composed by UNV in India, in partnership with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and its talented refugee volunteers. The anthem captures the motivation, spirit and joy of volunteering. The video of the anthem features UN Volunteers in the field, V-force volunteers and heads of UN entities to reflect solidarity and support.