Speaking at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced that more than one hundred commitments and actions have been already mobilized in support of the UN’s global sustainable energy initiative.  Mr. Ban cited individual volunteers among those carrying out the hundreds of actions and commitments underway in support of the initiative, which ias also supported by businesses, donors, entrepreneurs, organizations, and artists. Visit site

Helen Clark, Administrator of UNDP, says that 20 years after the Rio Earth summit, sustainable development is still not mainstream policy because governments considered the short-term outcomes too politically risky. Visit site

People's voluntary involvement is essential in sustainable development, and the whole world should recognize the importance of volunteerism for development and peace, head of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme Flavia Pansieri said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua. Visit site

During the V Awards 2012 ceremony in Sri Lanka, UNV Executive Coordinator, Flavia Pansiera, presented Dr. Sinniah Thevananthan, founder of the Osilmo Special Education and Research Center for Autistic Children the award for 'Volunteer of the Year'. The V Awards were organized by the IYV+10 National Steering Committee in collaboration with a major broadcaster to recognize the island's most inspirational volunteers. Visit site

One year after the Long Life Heart Clinic opened in Mzuzu Central Hospital in Mzuzu, Malawi, UNV Doctor Romain Mbiya, from DRC, has treated about 220 peoplewith heart problems. Read

UN-HABITAT hosted the first Steering Committee meeting for the African Conference on Volunteer Action for Peace and Development to be held on 25-27 June 2012 in Nairobi, Kenya. The gathering highlighted the UNV State of the World’s Volunteering Report and UN Resolution recommendations, and drew representatives of government, UNV and other UN agencies, and non-profit organizations all interested in promoting volunteering as central to community-centered sustainable development. Read

In February, Haiti will open its fourth "Smile Clinic" on reproductive health to help reduce maternal mortality. The accessible free cliinics are supported by UNV and delivered by UN Volunteers in remote areas. Visit site

For UN Volunteer Guy Taylor, in Beijing, among the most fulfilling areas of his assignment with UNAIDS China are working with people living with HIV and supporting them to set up and run NGOs and networks. Visit site

As the United Nations International Year of the Volunteer draws to a close, Volunteer Toronto has launched a new smartphone application to help tell the stories of those who donate their time to worthy causes. A total of 29 volunteers and those who have benefited from their work are sharing their experiences through digital storytelling. Visit site