Some years ago, I was invited to visit a small village in Pakistan. The women there had been introduced to fish-farming and by that means were able to make a living. It was a successful initiative. Yet, having made such progress, they also began to feel that they had to be literate to stand their ground as entrepreneurs. Ad hoc literacy classes sprang up, run by volunteers, and soon these spread to neighbouring hamlets. Believing they had been privileged by what had been given to them, these women felt the desire to let others benefit as well. I learned all about this from a speech read to me by a woman, proudly demonstrating her newly acquired skills. In the course of our ensuing conversation, she told me she was a poet, and I asked her if she would read me some of her verses. She went to her hut and came back carrying a notebook filled with tiny Urdu scribbles in a still untrained hand -- countless pages covered with the wonder of her imagination. As she read, I couldn't understand her words, but the cadences and timbre of her voice certainly communicated the emotion. When she finished reading, I asked how long she had been a poet. 

She said: "All my life. But until I could write, my poems were locked in my head." 

She gave me one of them, a gift I treasured. For years, I carried it in my briefcase, as a constant reminder of the creative powers that had been unleashed through volunteer effort. 

All of us, assembled here today, know about the positive energy that can be set free when lives are touched by people who care. I feel privileged to have been invited to speak here today. Never in the 32 years since I went from local to international volunteering, on my first CUSO assignment as a teacher in the Caribbean, have I addressed such a large audience filled with people who have made it a vocation to share their time and talent in the service of others. Your commitment to volunteering is an inspiring force, a source of energy bound to make a difference. Because you care, you extend a helping hand when there is need. It is this personal, individual commitment that volunteering is all about; it's giving something of yourself. I strongly believe that it is crucial for any society. Care is at the core of the concept of community -- the basis of civility.

This was recognized within the United Nations back in 1965, when a corps of volunteers under the blue flag of the UN was still only an idea. The Secretary-General at that time, U Thant, made a prophetic statement. He said he looked forward to the time when the average youngster and parent, employee and employer would consider dedicating one or two years for the cause of development as a normal part of their education - whether abroad or in their own communities. 

His vision has in a way come true. What we witness today is a universal phenomenon, an unprecedented number of women and men coming together to help shape the world in which they are living. Bound by common interests -- whether they be in defense of human rights, safeguarding the environment or promoting women's empowerment-- these people are determined to make a difference through cooperation and compassion. 

Caring for others has of course been a feature of almost every society since the beginning of time. Often it is rooted in the great religions: we know the Confucian code of ethics focusing on the well-being of family and society, later imbued with spiritual underpinnings at the advent of Buddhism. We are familiar with the concepts of Tzdaka in Judaism and Zakat in Islam which call for the contribution of money to serve the poor. And we are aware of Christ prescribing charity as a means of salvation.

Voluntary associations are also an integral part of the local customs and traditions of peoples around the globe. Whether they are called minga in the Andes, barangay in the Philippines, or duda in Ghana, they are schemes for mutual support. In Kenya, these groups share the name harambee which means "pull together". The concept is so popular that even the national soccer team is named harambee stars. So watch out France. The world cup may not be yours for long!

Today, the notable difference from these local schemes of service Is that in our rapidly globalizing world citizen action can be a unifying force reaching out beyond communities and national boundaries to tackle issues of worldwide concern. No longer is it sufficient to think globally and act locally. Now we must act globally as well. 

And never have the needs been greater. Our global village is severely stratified. The dividing line runs deep between those who live in freedom and with dignity and those without even food, shelter, education or basic health care. Moreover, poverty, injustice and uncertainty about the future breed prejudice, intolerance and racism. This poses a very real threat to peace and democracy. Being one of the most widespread expressions of human solidarity, volunteer work is paramount in addressing the major problems of our time. It is a form of social behaviour focused on the well-being of the community and of society at large. As such, it has laid the foundation for many organizational forms which are non-profit, non-wage and non-career. Providing support, particularly for those who are marginalized and more vulnerable, volunteering is the basis of welfare and charity organizations, NGOs, trade unions, professional associations, political parties and religious groups. It is increasing among employees in both the private and public sectors. Many government campaigns in such fields as literacy, immunization from disease and protection of the environment, for example, depend on volunteers. 

As an active manifestation of societal concern, volunteering has been a driving force both in complementing government action and in pressing for reform. Think of the anti-slavery movement; of the battle for women's suffrage and gender equality; or the call for the protection of our natural resources. All these issues have been put on the agenda through citizen action, functioning as a system of checks and balances. It is crucial, therefore, to create an understanding of the great potential this has in preserving and enhancing democratic principles. 

Volunteering blurs the borders between the public sector, the private sector and civil society. It links the generations -- young and old. And it crosses barriers of power and wealth, of nationality and geography, of ethnic and cultural identities. Thus, there is enormous scope for creating new alliances and partnerships. 

But we must also accept that we still have a long way to go. Why, we ask ourselves, are volunteer contributions rarely considered when discussions take place in government and intergovernmental fora on the burning questions of our time? 

A major feature of the 1990s has been the series of United Nations world conferences: the Rio conference on the environment was held in 1992, followed in subsequent years by the Vienna conference on human rights, the population conference in Cairo, the social summit in Copenhagen, and the world conference on women in Beijing. In 1996, the conference cycle was completed with Habitat II in Istanbul. Looking back, it is probably safe to say that these conferences have raised awareness, not least among political decision makers. The meetings provided valuable opportunities for discussion in search of a global consensus, and they have resulted in action plans to which governments are formally committed. Yet, in the millions of words written and the thousands of hours of discussions, the role of volunteers barely found a mention -- and this despite the fact that the participation of non-state actors was considered an important characteristic of the conferences; and notwithstanding the great efforts UNV undertook to have volunteer contributions reflected in the official documents. 

There are a few possible explanations: one might be that volunteer action is taken for granted. It is regarded by many as something which just happens spontaneously and, therefore, does not require great debate. Also, as powerful lobbyists, the NGOs naturally focused on the substance of the themes under discussion rather than on process. 

But there are also serious and fundamental conceptual questions which handicap us in creating a better awareness of the volunteer role, such as who is a volunteer, and how do you measure volunteer contributions? I'm sure we could all list a number of other difficulties but we must be forward looking and seek solutions to placing volunteerism squarely onto the global map. By declaring 2001 the International Year of Volunteers (IYV), with UNV as focal point, the international community has given us all a unique opportunity to get volunteers off the sidelines and into the centre field of public and official opinion -- giving voice and visibility to the global force they constitute in combating poverty and ensuring safe, just and peaceful societies. 

The four objectives for IYV are to increase the recognition, facilitation, networking and promotion of volunteering -- I'm sure you would agree that we should make every effort to turn each of these goals into full-scale achievements. I know that all of you will be on side. After all, IAVE has been one of the key players in successfully keeping up the pressure on governments to make the idea of an International Year of Volunteers become reality -- in the end, 123 member states led by the Government of Japan co-sponsored the decision of the United Nations general assembly last November. 

Let's briefly enter a time-warp today and imagine that it's 31 December 2001. What will we look back upon? Certainly on celebrations -- all over the world. Imagine how wonderful it would feel if the year was totally out of control, with volunteers everywhere celebrating their achievements and their commitment to shared values -- in the north and the south, the east and the west. In the biggest cities and the smallest villages. Spontaneous combustion! As we know, regeneration feeds itself like fire.

Above all, 2001 will emerge from the grassroots. And how could it fail with our huge constituency at the community level? I am sure there are as many ideas as volunteers on how to commemorate this year. Let's reach for the stars. It won't cost us to dream. 

But it would cost the world dearly to loose its volunteers. Canada alone would be 16 billion dollars poorer per year. This is what her 5.3 million volunteers contribute with their labour, according to the last comprehensive government survey. We are thus talking about the equivalent of eight per cent of Canada's gross domestic product, or 617,000 full-time jobs; here in Alberta, this would account for more than 40 per cent of all employment. 

A recent study which the Robert Bosch Foundation conducted in nine European countries estimates an annual volunteer input which equals almost two million jobs. And in the USA, the contribution of volunteers to non-profit organizations alone is the equivalent of 9.2 million workers. According to independent sector, a coalition of philanthropic organizations, the value of volunteer time in the USA amounts to 176 billion dollars. 

But these figures only cover a few regions for which sufficient information is available. There is still a woeful lack of reliable data on volunteering. I believe it was Galbraith who once said that if you don't count it, it doesn't count. The value of volunteer contributions as a major force in social and economic life has so far not attracted sufficient attention. Even amongst NGOs, the contributions of volunteers rarely show up on the balance sheets or in annual reports, despite the fact that studies show, in terms of human resources, they can represent an increase several fold beyond the amount of paid labour available. It is vital to measure this impact in order to overcome the perniciousness of labour statistics where those not engaged in formal work are excluded as contributors to national well-being. 

Our words need numbers to influence policy. While a lot of commendable research has already been undertaken, the focus lies mainly in the north. We want to encourage these universities and NGOs to share their valuable results with institutions in countries where such research has not yet taken off and where it needs to be stimulated. We must get a clear indication of the extent of volunteer contributions on a global scale -- the potential for growth and the possible constraints. The results of this research will undoubtedly weave a rich tapestry picturing the many forms and strands of volunteering as they manifest themselves in communities across the planet. Here on the prairies we might envision it as a gigantic global quilting bee of people working together for the benefit of all, in one world. 

Many of you will be familiar with the influential Human Development Report produced annually by the United Nations Development Programme. Since 1990, this report has focused each year on a topic of global concern -- last year on poverty. Termed a guidebook for economic heretics, it overturns exclusive reliance on gross national product as a measurement of national well-being and includes instead factors such as life expectancy, education and welfare as well as freedom to exercise human and political rights. 

The most controversial aspect is an index which rates 175 countries according to levels of human development. It should be a matter of pride to all Canadians that since the inception of the report, Canada has come out on top, ahead of other nations which are wealthier in monetary terms. Indeed, we all wait for the launch of this year's HDR in two weeks to see if Canada has held on to its place. 

But, don't you agree that volunteering is also an essential indicator of human development? And wouldn't you, in 2001, like to see a report dedicated to this topic, summarizing the findings in various countries and providing reliable data on the global scope and quality of volunteer efforts? This would give us a benchmark for the next century. 

We also need to convert research into practical measures. In particular, we consider it crucial that the motivation of volunteers is matched by an enabling environment in which they can make a contribution. Gaps in policy perpetuate the marginalization of volunteers. We must mobilize official opinion to address legal issues like insurance coverage, social welfare protection, special leaves of absence for employees and tax deductibility to remove obstacles that keep people from engaging in volunteer work, whether in the private or public sectors. 

Special efforts need to be made to press further the burgeoning association of private corporations that support volunteering, whether through employee volunteering schemes or through direct sponsorship of volunteer effort. The UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, in his first major speech on assuming office, described the private sector as today's dominant engine of growth. He called for new partnerships to ensure that this sector delivers economic growth and economic opportunity, equitability and sustainability. Without this involvement, he said, "peace will remain fragile and social justice a distant dream". I am truly delighted to see that private sector roles are to be highlighted in several of the workshops over the coming days. No doubt the results will contribute to the shaping of IYV 2001 and will go some way to realizing the vision of the Secretary-General. There are only 28 months left to trigger these changes. Preparations really have to start yesterday. We'll have to network and join forces, in the best volunteer tradition, to keep the pressure up. UNV has so far initiated a series of consultations with international NGOs, governments, UN agencies, and researchers. We plan to get together periodically in the next two years. We will also encourage all countries to use the occasion of the international volunteer day on 5 December of each year leading up to 2001 to highlight the objectives of IYV and to galvanize the volunteer community. 

UNV will continue to facilitate the sharing of information about IYV objectives, the progress of preparations and planned activities. Right now, we are building up a website which is dedicated to the International Year of Volunteers. I would like to invite all of you to contribute to making it a valuable, encompassing source of information for the volunteer world. Above any other medium, the Internet provides us with a tool to communicate on a global level. We should seek to expand this network and see to it that those amongst us with adequate information technology equipment support others who don't. 

IAVE must be commended for its efforts to forge bonds through networking amongst the volunteer community. This conference itself will be a landmark leading up to 2001. We trust that each of you will take back to your organizations the message about IYV, along with countless brilliant ideas as to how to fill it with life. In the few hours I've been here in Edmonton, I have already heard so many good suggestions that they alone would make for more than 12 exciting months. I am sure there is still much more to come in the days ahead of us. 

IAVE's next world conference will be held in the Netherlands in 2001. I am delighted to announce today, that as the first major event of the year, this Amsterdam meeting has the blessing of United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan who will lend it active support. 

IAVE has also arranged highly productive regional conferences. I am aware of your successful meetings in Cote d'Ivoire and Venezuela where representatives from many African and Latin American countries came together to address issues relating to organization, training and dealing with governments and the private sector. It is crucial to scale up such initiatives to share essential volunteer know-how internationally. Not least, IAVE has offered to ask the national volunteer centres for assistance in establishing national IYV committees. These committees will be instrumental in spreading the message to the local level. 

We must encourage all countries on the five continents to define for themselves what volunteering means in the local social and cultural context, what are best practices and what are the constraints for this most basic form of citizen action. And then activities must be built up for the year which are truly indigenous, which reflect local aspirations and potential and, above all, which draw in the largest numbers of people able and willing to volunteer. People won't regret joining the volunteer community. You and I know from our own experience what people frequently answer when they are asked why they volunteer: it's fun. The rewarding experience of volunteering is to see what happens in the lives of people when we act together as citizens, sharing the satisfaction of translating values into action. 

As Margaret Mead said: "never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

Yet we are talking today not about one small group, but about millions joining forces to make a difference. You are part of this global community of people who act because you care. You see more than your own self-interest. You see the common good. And, as you look around this auditorium, you see you're not alone. Being committed to a common cause is to be amongst friends. Let us make a vow today to spread the word and expand our global network of friends -- friends who become practical visionaries for the 21st century.

Thank you!