25 November 2011

Guatemala City, Guatemala: Preparations for International Volunteer Day (IVD) 2011 are well underway in Guatemala, where local volunteer involving organizations hope celebrations and commemorative activities will encourage volunteers and organizations to share the spirit of volunteering.
 
The Guatemalan Centre for Volunteerism (Centro de Voluntariado Guatemalteco, CVG) invites all member organizations to express their support for IVD 2011 by actively supporting celebrations planned for 5 December 2011.

CVG invited volunteer involving member organizations to register for IVD 2011 activities in an innovative way, designed to highlight commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers (IYV+10).

Each organization presented a photo illustrating their volunteer efforts and representing the acronym "AIV+10" ('IYV+10' in Spanish).  
 
By mid-November, 23 local volunteer involving organizations had sent their photos, confirming their support for IVD 2011 activities.

The variety of organizations registered reflects the diversity of volunteerism efforts actively contributing to development in Guatemala.*
 
As part of the IVD 2011 celebrations, CVG hopes to stir interest and commitment amongst new volunteers, by promoting a calendar of volunteer activities between 26 November and 3 December 2011.

The volunteering calendar invites members of civil society to volunteer for a day in one of the CVG member organizations, and experience the positive benefits and contributions possible through volunteering.

At end of the week of volunteering, new and current volunteers will illustrate the contribution volunteerism makes by forming a human map of Guatemala, highlight the country's contribution to the global IVD and IYV+10 celebrations.

Afterwards, members of CVG, new and current volunteers and the general public will celebrate with a rock concert by local bands in Parque Concordia, in the centre of Guatemala City, on Sunday 4 December, with the support of local media and the Guatemala City Council.
 
Finally, on 5 December, CVG and the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme in Guatemala will commemorate IVD 2011, IYV+10 and the official launch of the first UNV State of the World’s Volunteerism Report.

This will be marked by a state ceremony dedicated to the changing of the Peace Rose in the Peace Patio of the National Palace.

This year UNV and CVG hope to highlight, celebrate and recognize the great efforts and results achieved through volunteerism in Guatemala, and the contribution volunteerism makes to society in general.

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* Local volunteer involving organizations that sent their photos: ActiveS, Hábitat para la Humanidad, Aware, Voluntariado de la Universidad Rafael Landívar, Centre for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI), Fábrica de Sonrisas, Un Techo Para mi País, Aiesec, Mucha Hablemos Bien de Guate, Cromos León, Mascotas Terapeutas, Lirios, Movimiento Cuarto Mundo, Organicemos un Mundo Mejor, Fundal, Artes Muy Especiales, The Hope Project, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, Nueva Acrópolis, JuvenTud, Red de sobrevivientes de Cáncer, Freedom Guatemala and Propuesta Urbana Jóven.