For International Volunteer Day 2019, we are having a "Volunteer in images" award and photography contest. This is an artistic solidarity initiative of the Volunteer Programme of the Directorate General for Strengthening Civil Society (Government of the City of Buenos Aires, Argentina) and the Rumbo Sur Civil Association of Argentina. Initially, this was developed in 2011 in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the "International Year of the Volunteer", declared by the United Nations.

On the occasion of International Volunteer Day (IVD) 2019, Mr Olivier Adam, Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, is partaking in celebrations in Peru. He will mark the day with UN Volunteers in Peru and take part in an award ceremony. The Municipality of lima launched the Metropolitan Volunteeer Award, which seeks to recognize organizations and people involved in the development, promotion and support of the volunteer service in Lima.

On the occasion of International Volunteer Day (IVD) 2019, Mr Olivier Adam, Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, is partaking in celebrations in Peru. He will mark the day with UN Volunteers in Peru and take part in an award ceremony. The Municipality of lima launched the Metropolitan Volunteeer Award, which seeks to recognize organizations and people involved in the development, promotion and support of the volunteer service in Lima.

Every day, an estimated one billion volunteers make a difference to the people and communities where they live and work. They create social bonds and give a voice to marginalized and vulnerable groups. They are often the first to act in moments of crisis. They dedicate their time, skills and passion to make the world a better place.

Olga acquired her physical-motor disability at the age of 13 due to muscular dystrophy, and since then, her wheelchair has become her ally. She has had to face social, attitudinal, architectural, and transport barriers that at certain times have hindered her full development and participation in social activities. All these challenges make her think that disability is not so much in the person but in the obstacles interfering with its independence and ability to function in society.

On 29 March 2017, Peru woke up with a state-declared National Emergency in the northern part of the country. The coast had been severely affected due to the floods caused by the phenomenon ‘El Niño Costero’, where more than 1,000,000 people were affected and 200,000 people fell victim at a national level, leading to one of the most serious crises the country has faced in the last few years.

According to UNHCR and IOM’s latest report, the number of Venezuelans leaving their country has reached 4 million. Globally, the report also reveals that Venezuelans are one of the single largest population groups displaced, with a number of refugees and migrants that has increased by one million since November 2018.

Faced with the challenges caused by climate change, 194 countries have come together and created the Green Climate Fund (GCF), through which they hope to mobilize funds to limit or reduce greenhouse gas emissions (mitigation) and to achieve the adaptation of vulnerable populations in developing countries.

The eruption of the Guatemala’s Volcano of Fire ocurred on June 3, 2018, causing the death of more than 300 people and the evacuation of more than 4,000 inhabitants in the surrounding areas.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development explicitly recognizes volunteer groups as key actors to achieve the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Following the launch of the 2030 Agenda in 2015, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Plan of Action for Integrating Volunteerism into the 2030 Agenda, through Resolution A/RES/70/129 "Integrating volunteering into peace and development: the plan of action for the next decade and beyond".