10 May 2001

Brussels, Belgium/Bonn, Germany: The United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV)--the volunteer arm of the UN system--will be represented at the 3rd United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries in Brussels (14-20 May) with a senior-level delegation headed by UNV Executive Coordinator Sharon Capeling-Alakija.

Joining the delegation is Flight Lieutenant John Jerry Rawlings, the former President of Ghana and an Eminent Person for the United Nations International Year of Volunteers 2001 (IYV 2001), who is speaking out this year to raise awareness of volunteer action in developing countries.

Ms. Capeling-Alakija and Flt. Lt. Rawlings will hold a press conference on Wednesday, 16 May, 12 noon in Room 0A50 on the ground floor of the European Parliament building, Brussels. The press conference will address the topic of VOLUNTEERS AGAINST AIDS. Flt. Lt. Rawlings, who recently returned from his first mission as an IYV Eminent Person in Botswana, will discuss the impact of UN Volunteers and partners in the fight against the pandemic.

In addition, the UN Volunteers will offer the following presentations and events at its display on the 3rd Floor of the Spinelli building throughout the week:

Monday, 14 May

• 11 a.m.: Presentation on UNV and governance
• 3 p.m.: Video presentation of UNV in East Timor and an introduction to UNV in LDCs
• 4 p.m.: Presentation on e-volunteering through Netaid.org and the United Nations Information Technology Service (UNITeS), a brainchild of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan

Tuesday, 15 May

• 2:30 p.m.: Presentation by UNV Urban Development Specialist Eric Sarvan on City to City Cooperation

Wednesday, 16 May

• 3 p.m.: Presentation on UNV against AIDS in LDCs

In addition, on Tuesday, 15 May at 2 p.m., Zambian UN Volunteer, Brigitte Syamalevwe will give a presentation on "Volunteers against AIDS" at the NGO Forum in Parc Léopold, Bibliothèque Solvay-Institut Sciences Naturelles.