Bonn, Germany: UNV joined sister organizations in the annual celebration of UN Day 2012 in Bonn, which took place on Saturday, 20 October 2012.  Close to 25,000 people passed through the Market Square during the course of the day, with around 300 people in the United Nations tent at any given time from opening to closing. The event was a great opportunity for the United Nations in Bonn to raise awareness and reach out to the public.  Read

On Friday, 24 August 2012, Flavia Pansieri, Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, and Jean-Pierre Ezin, Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology with the African Union Commission (AUC), signed a letter of understanding in Bonn where the two organizations agree to harmonize their efforts to promote the concept of youth volunteerism as a means to advance socio-economic growth and development in Africa. Read

Bonn, Germany: UNV is actively involved in the Greening the Blue initiative, which was launched in 2010 to raise awareness of the importance of sustainability throughout the UN system and to encourage staff members to take an active role in reducing the organization’s carbon emissions. Read

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: A new agreement between the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme and Comisión Cascos Blancos (White Helmets Commission) of Argentina was signed today at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro. The agreement will strengthen both organizations’ capacity to respond, through volunteerism, to disasters and emergencies rapidly and effectively. Read

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: On the first day of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, a Rio+20 delegation visited the favela area of Canta Galo, where 57 UN Volunteers are engaged in the renewal of their own community. "This is yet another example of people power driving real change," says UNV Executive Coordinator Flavia Pansieri. "Volunteers, together with communities around the world, support social, economic and environmental transformation every day." Read

Bonn/London: A new partnership between the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme and VSO, announced today, will maximize the potential of volunteering to help citizens drive development forward themselves. The UNV-VSO partnership aims to increase the positive impact that volunteering can have on empowering marginalized communities. Read

Bonn, Germany: International Women’s Day gives us the chance to recognize the invaluable contributions women make around the world, and mark the challenges we still have to meet to achieve gender equality.  Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recently highlighted the importance of addressing the needs of women and young people to ensure their full participation in peace-building and development.

UNV cooperates with its partners to build the capacities of women and youth to ensure their full participation in their communities.  We will continue to do so.  The commitment of UNV to provide women with a greater say in their destiny is absolute. Read

Bonn, Germany: The German Foreign Minister, Mr Guido Westerwelle, visited the UN campus in Bonn today.  He was welcomed by the Chair of the Consultative Forum of the Heads of UN Agencies in Germany, Ms Flavia Pansieri, together with the heads of the United Nations agencies in Bonn.  The Minister asserted the commitment of Germany to the UN agencies in Bonn and their work on sustainable development. Read

Bonn, Germany: If the next generations are to benefit from development, then development has to be sustainable. This is the challenge we all face. Yet, the best solutions are often the simplest ones, and the theme of the 64th annual UN DPI-NGO conference, being held in Bonn, Germany from 3 to 5 September, says it all: Sustainable Societies, Responsive Citizens. Read

Bonn, Germany: Sustainable development and volunteerism will be the main topics of discussion when non-governmental organizations (NGOs) meet in Bonn, Germany for the sixty-fourth annual United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI)/NGO meeting from 3 to 5 September. Read