25 May 2000

Bonn, Germany: In December 2000, the UN General Assembly adopted its first resolution calling on Member States to promote volunteerism. It specifically encourages the greater involvement of youth and older people.

"Our university graduates have broadened their perspectives through their voluntary work with people in rural communities. They are highly motivated and enthusiastically share their knowledge about health issues and disaster prevention with villagers. Just the other day a mild earth tremor hit our villages and the people who benefited from the training we provided knew how to react. They can now pass on the information they received from our volunteers with their neighbours."

Rolando Cabrera is a professor of architecture at Guatemala's University of San Carlos where he supervises teams of young UN Volunteers

Young people in Guatemala have studied the lessons of Hurricane Mitch and are applying their newly-acquired skills to help the country be prepared when disaster strikes. To demonstrate how to get the younger generation involved at an early stage, UNV has drawn in 20 graduates of San Carlos University as UN Volunteers to share their knowledge in health risk and disaster preparedness with communities in the Central American country. An architect explains to people in the village of Telemán why they should build their homes away from riverbanks and how to firm up foundations. The graduates help form groups of volunteers who in turn inform others about the benefits of clean, free-flowing rivers to prevent flooding, and show how to set up early warning systems to alert villagers while there is still time to act. In addition, a veterinarian carries out a vaccination campaign of all domestic animals in the region of Los Amates, telling farm workers that it is important to keep animals clean to prevent the spread of disease. UN Volunteers involved youth around the world in 2000:

• A team of UN Volunteers recruited close to 100 young people aged 17 to 25 in Azerbaijan to teach English and computer skills to refugees, renovate the garden of an orphanage school for blind and deaf children and clean up beaches and boulevards. Others volunteered at the local zoo with the society for the protection of animals. Youth volunteers also helped bring generations together, as elderly people were encouraged to teach handicraft courses to younger people in Sumgait. At the end of the year, 1,000 other young people were standing in line to volunteer.
• In Brazil's Parana State, a UN Volunteer set up a magazine carrying reports on HIV/AIDS, youth unemployment and drug abuse. Poor young people derive a modest income by selling the corporate-sponsored publication, which is written entirely by youth volunteers. To provide a platform for youth volunteers around the country, the UNVs also helped organize a national conference where young people could present their volunteer activities.