Quito, Ecuador:  An experience away from home is challenging, a confrontation with a different culture at times confusing, and the lack of familiarity frustrating. I believe that during my yearlong UN Youth Volunteer assignment in Ecuador, all stars were aligned: rarely did I deal with any of the above. The Andes, the city in its midst, and my host institution, the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing, greeted me with open arms and slowly taught me the tips and tricks of living and working in Ecuador.

Quito, Ecuador:  I arrived in Ecuador in February 2012 to strengthen the Articulation of Territorial Networks team of the United Nations Development Programme (ART/UNDP) on issues related to gender and human development in land planning and management.

Quito, Ecuador: I am a 27-year-old lawyer and I just finished my one-year assignment with the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme at the Office of the Human Rights Adviser in Ecuador.

On the occasion of International Volunteer Day in Trinidad and Tobago, the UNV Field Unit with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has joined forces with the Pride in Gonzales Project in Belmont to showcase the numerous volunteer efforts  in the community through the symbolic Planting of a Peace Pole.

It was a great honour for me, as the national IYV+10 Coordinator in Uzbekistan, to directly participate in the celebration of the birth of the United Nations. We enjoyed a gorgeous autumn day in Tashkent on Monday 24 October, still blessed with vitamin D from the sun.

It was a great honour for me, as the national IYV+10 Coordinator in Uzbekistan, to directly participate in the celebration of the birth of the United Nations. We enjoyed a gorgeous autumn day in Tashkent on Monday 24 October, still blessed with vitamin D from the sun.

More than 1,400 people – grassroots representatives from over 70 countries – gathered in Bonn, Germany, from 3 to 5 September for the United Nations Department of Public Information/Non-Governmental Organization Annual Conference. The conference revolved around the theme of "Sustainable Societies, Responsive Citizens." The participants, representing 460 different NGOs, shared best practices, displayed their efforts in an exhibition hall, and forged documents that will be integrated into next year's Rio+20, the UN Conference on Environment and Development.

More than 1,400 people – grassroots representatives from over 70 countries – gathered in Bonn, Germany, from 3 to 5 September for the United Nations Department of Public Information/Non-Governmental Organization Annual Conference. The conference revolved around the theme of "Sustainable Societies, Responsive Citizens." The participants, representing 460 different NGOs, shared best practices, displayed their efforts in an exhibition hall, and forged documents that will be integrated into next year's Rio+20, the UN Conference on Environment and Development.

More than 1,500 people – grassroots representatives from over 100 countries – gathered in Bonn, Germany, September 3-5 for the United Nations’ Department of Public Information/Non-Governmental Organization Annual Conference. The conference revolved around the theme of "Sustainable Societies, Responsive Citizens."

A society without "responsive citizens" is not sustainable according to the head of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme.