03 December 2009

Bonn, Germany: UNV's theme for this year's International Volunteer Day (IVD) on 5 December is 'Volunteering for our Planet.' UNV volunteers and staff from 30 countries submitted more than 50 entries to the IVD 2009 story competition, including personal accounts, fictional stories, photo essays and videos.

The stories celebrate the inspiration and engagement of volunteers around the world, and illustrate how volunteering has become an essential part to the solution to climate change. Volunteerism is making a difference and anybody can volunteer for our planet.

The winner of our story competition is Natalia Petrushko, a national UNV volunteer in Ukraine. Natalia related her work with environmental water expeditions and other youth-focused environmental projects in the Ukraine.  She won a trip to UNV headquarters in Bonn, Germany, to join us in marking IVD and share with us her story and experience.

Read more about the story competition, including a selection of stories and photographs.