Bonn, Germany: To mark the International Volunteer Day (IVD) on 5 December, the Bonn-based United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is partnering with AIDS-Hilfe Bonn to organize activities on 1,5 and 8 December highlighting the work of volunteers and their contribution to combating HIV/AIDS. Read

Beijing, China: Volunteers in China organized by UNV and partners have launched "Smiling Beijing, Green Olympics" to promote volunteer action to save energy consumption and reduce pollution. Read

Pristina, Kosovo: An environmental awareness campaign in Kosovo, led by UNV volunteers, focused on children. In groups, the children were inspired to examine environment issues, making use of the opportunity to exchange ideas and opinions about the Millennium Development Goals and means of harnessing volunteerism to achieve them. Read

Yamoussoukro, Cote d’Ivoire: UNV has organized a girls’ education project, teaching illiterate girls working at the Yamoussoukro market, basic writing, reading and math skills. Read

Bonn, Germany: The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme  has received an "Extraordinary Contributions Recognition Award" from the Cisco Networking Academy in recognition of UNV’s contributions to information and communications technology (ICT) training opportunities. Read

Kinshasa, Uganda: UNV volunteers helped the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces blow up more than 460 tonnes of decommissioned, redundant and obsolete ammunition and ordinances. The event was the largest of its kind in the country and comprised an assortment of bombs, rockets, grenades, shells and bullets that were destroyed in a series of massive explosions of 10-15 tonnes of material at a time. Read

Apia, Samoa: Twenty-four volunteers have been commended for their outstanding commitment to their voluntary roles during the recent XIII South Pacific Games in Apia.  The Organizing Committee of the Games has granted special awards to 24 of the 4,000 volunteers who helped stage the South Pacific’s largest ever sporting event. Read

United Nations staff commemorated UN Day, 24 October, with the theme "The United Nations, Africa and Me" in Tokyo, Japan. For their part, UNV and UNDP staff, in collaboration with Oriental Land character Goddies, explained to children from Kids Garden how elections operate in the field, after which the children took part in a mock election. See more pictures here. Read

Bonn, Germany: Reflecting the continued strong link between United Nations Volunteers (UNV) and the City of Bonn, UNV Executive Coordinator Mr Ad de Raad has signed the "Golden Book" of Bonn. The invitation to sign the book was a rare honour reserved for VIPs and other special friends of the City of Bonn. Read

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. Read