UNV Executive Coordinator Flavia Pansieri attended the UNDP/UNFPA Executive Board in June 2011 in New York. She emphasized the need to acknowledge volunteerism in various ways, "in particular not as an afterthought, but as an intentional component of programmes designed to promote national ownership and the development of national capacities".
UNV Executive Coordinator Flavia Pansieri attended the UNDP/UNFPA Executive Board in June 2011 in New York. She emphasized the need to acknowledge volunteerism in various ways, in particular not as an afterthought, but as an intentional component of programmes designed to promote national ownership and the development of national capacities, she said. A positive sign was recognition in last years MDG summit outcome document of the importance for governments to encourage and strengthen partnerships with non-governmental organizations, including voluntary associations to accelerate progress towards the MDGs. Ms Pansieri reported on progress made. UNV organized a series of regional-focused consultations. One such consultation, supported by the European Commission was held in Bonn and promoted an exchange between voluntary organizations from the EU and voluntary organizations in developing countries. Other regional consultations were held in Ecuador, Turkey, the Philippines and Senegal. Participants drafted recommendations on successful means to promote volunteerism that will serve as discussion points at the Global Volunteerism Conference to be held in Budapest on 15-17 September of this year. The 64th annual UN Department of Public Information (DPI) global NGO conference will be held in Bonn, Germany from 3-5 September 2011. The theme is Sustainable Societies; Responsive Citizens, and it will connect the sustainable development agenda, Rio+20 and the tenth anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers (IYV+10). UNV is supporting DPI with the organization of this conference, which is expected to attract participation from more than 1,000 NGOs from around the world. UNV has also undertaken preparation for the first ever State of the Worlds Volunteerism Report (SWVR). UNV will launch this publication on 5 December, International Volunteer Day (IVD). The launch will coincide with two sessions of the General Assembly devoted to volunteerism. The SWVR pulls together, on the basis of academic research, evidence of the contributions of volunteerism to peace and development. The report highlights the many different forms in which volunteerism expresses itself across different cultures in every society. The member states who participated in the Executive Board, such as Argentina, China, Germany, Italy and Spain, expressed their support for UNV and recognized Ms Pansieris inspiring presentation. The Permanent Mission of China, for example, stated: The Chinese government attaches great importance to the cooperation with UNV, as well as promoting and strengthening volunteerism spirit nationwide. The Permanent Mission of China appreciates the persevering efforts and achievements of the management and deployment of international volunteer assignments and promotion of the volunteerism spirit since the establishment of UNV.