25 June 2008

Geneva, Switzerland: The enormous potential of volunteerism should be an inspiration to us all, said UNV Executive Coordinator Flavia Pansieri today at her first address to the UNDP Executive Board in Geneva since taking office in February.

Following an introduction from UNDP Associate Administrator Ad Melkert paying tribute to previous UNV Executive Coordinator Ad de Raad who retired in January 2008, Ms. Pansieri outlined UNV's activities over the last 12 months.

Beginning with praise for the "high levels of motivation" of UNV volunteers, field staff and headquarters staff, Ms. Pansieri commented on the increasing importance of volunteerism for development. "Volunteerism builds local ownership and enduring capacity in communities and institutions," she told the Executive Board delegates. "UNV is proud to be able to work with your countries in achieving these objectives."

Her speech went on to cover UNV's business model of Advocacy, Integration and Mobilization. The 7,521 UNV volunteers mobilized on missions during 2007 – up from 3,620 in 1997 – continued to be the "core" of UNV's work, she said. She also described in more detail UNV's other key policies: integrating volunteerism into development planning to help build national capacity; and advocating volunteerism for development in coordination with volunteering organizations.

Ms. Pansieri also remarked on the importance of 'South-South' volunteering and the UNV Online Volunteering service, which had seen a 30 percent increase in activities since 2006. Currently 47 percent of UNV's programme activities are in crisis prevention and recovery and 32 percent in poverty reduction and the Millennium Development Goals, she noted. In the future, added Ms. Pansieri, UNV would like to strengthen its contribution in the environmental and climate change fields.

In her conclusion, Ms. Pansieri acknowledged the invaluable support of all volunteers, governments and donors and also UNDP and other UN entities and emphasized again the principles of UNV. "The United Nations Volunteers programme is inspired by the conviction that volunteerism has the potential to transform the pace and nature of development… This enormous potential of volunteerism should be an inspiration to us all, because volunteerism for development translates inspiration into action, and the action and dedication of volunteers again inspires," she remarked.

The UNDP Executive Board is made up of representatives from 36 countries who serve on a rotating basis and convene annually. This year's meeting sat from 16 to 27 June.

To read the full speech by Flavia Pansieri and the introduction by Ad Melkert, download the PDF files below.