19 October 2007

Astana, Kazakhstan: Volunteering has very long roots in Kazakh society and it should be an effective mechanism for meeting social challenges, says the UN Resident Coordinator in Kazakhstan, Mr. Haoliang Xu.

In a speech to the Third National Forum on Civil Society of Kazakhstan, Mr Xu told delegates that social progress, democratic development and economic progress are possible “only with the active participation of citizens in all important areas of social life”.

Mr Xu said that 70% of Kazakh population aged over 18 years participates in some form of voluntary activity. “Kazakhstan plays an important role in the international arena to support volunteering. Along with four other countries, the republic initiated UN resolution 57/106 to follow up on the International Year of Volunteers to support volunteerism as a strategic tool to enhance economic and social development.

“In order to translate this resolution into practice we need to do a lot. The first step in this regard is increasing public awareness. We need voluntary actions announced in magazines, daily newspapers, radio, and television, and to present in the mass media the views on particular projects, and open internet volunteer portals with a database of available volunteers and programs.”

Mr Xu said that the Ministry of Culture and Information and the UN, together with representatives of civil society, are forming a Working Group to undertake research on the existing volunteering situation in Kazakhstan.

He told the Forum that, “an increasing army of volunteers, serving their country with unselfish devotion, can become a trustworthy pillar in reaching the scaled mid- and long-term goals. In this regard, creating an environment for the sustainable development of volunteering is an integral part of civil society, and strengthening its capacity on the basis of the cooperation with government, is essential.”