The strength of the UNV-Sweden partnership was again reinforced this week, following the conclusion of annual consultations between UNV and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), as well as the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Sweden.  Acknowledging the depth of commitment and engagement between UNV and Sweden, UNV Executive Coordinator Mr Toily Kurbanov described the partnership as going far beyond a funding relationship, thanking Sweden for “being a great enabler of UNV results”.

The campaign this year is focused on decision-makers more than in the past. It is important to integrate volunteers and the spirit of volunteerism into national and global implementation strategies to achieve the SDGs and build an inclusive world. By volunteering, people take action to improve their lives and the lives of those around them. Therefore, the theme for this year’s campaign is “Volunteer now for our common future”. We are highlighting the below key messages about the power of volunteerism in line with our campaign theme:

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is a United Nations system-wide service provider. Our mandate is to enable talented and dedicated volunteers to help the United Nations system deliver on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In doing so, we are intentional in recruiting volunteers with disabilities. For a long time, we have worked together with our partners to achieve more inclusive development outcomes. Additionally, we are now working to make the United Nations system itself more inclusive and diverse.

Working with persons with disabilities is not new for the United Nations system. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) identifies and protects the rights of persons with disabilities. We must uphold these rights in our peace, development and humanitarian work.

The 2022 State of the World’s Volunteerism Report, Building Equal and Inclusive Societies, presents new evidence on the relationship between volunteers and the state. It shows that the ways in which volunteers and state authorities interact, collaborate and partner are vital for the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals.

International Volunteer Day (IVD) is an international observance that was mandated by the UN General Assembly in 1985. It offers an opportunity for volunteer-involving organizations and individual volunteers to promote volunteerism, encourage governments to support volunteer efforts and recognize volunteer contributions to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at local, national and international levels.

UNV coordinates International Volunteer Day on 5 December every year to recognize and promote the tireless work, not just of UN Volunteers, but of volunteers across the globe. Every day, volunteers dedicate time and effort to ensure the inclusion of those often left behind, drive climate action and advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Mme/Mr Chairman, Excellencies, Distinguished delegates,

The AI-powered, cloud based Unified Volunteer Platform fundamentally transforms the way UNV’s partners communicate and connect.  Part of the ongoing digital transformation, it has been designed to facilitate all elements of UN Volunteer and Online Volunteer mobilization, recruitment and management.