20 December 2012
The UN General Assembly adopted the Resolution on "Integrating Volunteering in the Next Decade", which was co-facilitated by Brazil and Japan. Read
16 July 2012
This report is in response to the requests of the General Assembly, in its resolutions 63/153 and 66/67, that the Secretary-General report to it at its sixty-seventh session on the implementation of the recommendations contained in those resolutions and on the marking of the tenth anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers, 2001, and to propose recommendations to further integrate volunteerism in peace and development during the next decade and beyond. Read
20 February 2012
On 5 December 2011, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution A/RES/66/67 on marking the tenth anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers. Read
03 April 2009
"Opening opportunities for volunteerism is increasingly seen as a means to promoting social integration," says the United Nations Commission on Social Development in its latest Chairperson's summary. Read
11 February 2009
A resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly pertaining to the follow-up in 2011 to the International Year of Volunteers. Read
17 September 2008
The International Year of Volunteers (IYV, 2001) marked a critical milestone in worldwide efforts to promote the role and potential of volunteerism for peace and development. The United Nations Secretary-General's report on the follow-up to IYV is now available to download in PDF format. Read
06 February 2006
This UN General Assembly resolution (A/RES/60/134), co-sponsored by 84 Member States and adopted on 16 December 2005, invites all stakeholders, especially from the private sector community and from private foundations, to support volunteerism as a strategic tool to enhance economic and social development, including by expanding corporate volunteering. Read
30 August 2005
This is the UN Secretary-General’s report to the 60th session of the General Assembly on the follow-up of the implementation of the International Year of Volunteers (IYV) 2001. The report A/60/128 highlights the major areas where the environment for expanding and diversifying levels of volunteerism can be strengthened. It concludes that while the momentum built up over IYV continues to provide the stimulation behind a vibrant volunteer movement, there are wide variations in trends between countries and regions. Read
12 October 2003
In this issue of ESSENTIALS, launched on International Volunteer Day, on the 5th of December, the reader is introduced to an analysis of successful volunteer interventions, lessons learned and good practices with examples drawn from evaluatory evidence in a variety of development contexts. Read
26 November 2002
This UN General Assembly resolution (A/RES/57/106), co-sponsored by 142 Member States and adopted on 26 November 2002, calls upon stakeholders to support volunteerism as a strategic tool to enhance economic and social development and requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its 60th session on the implementation of the current resolution. Read
30 September 2002
The General Assembly, in its Resolution 55/57, requested the Secretary-General to report to it at its fifty-seventh session on the outcome of the International Year of Volunteers and its follow-up. The present report describes the background to the Year, provides an overview of actions taken, presents conclusions and discusses the future. Read
21 May 2001
This UN General Assembly resolution (A/RES/56/38), co-sponsored by 126 Member States and adopted on 5 December 2001, proposes recommendations on how governments and the United Nations system can support volunteering.
In these recommendations, the terms volunteering, volunteerism and voluntary activities refer to a wide range of activities, including traditional forms of mutual aid and self-help, formal service delivery and other forms of civic participation, undertaken of free will, for the general public good and where monetary reward is not the principal motivating factor. Read
In these recommendations, the terms volunteering, volunteerism and voluntary activities refer to a wide range of activities, including traditional forms of mutual aid and self-help, formal service delivery and other forms of civic participation, undertaken of free will, for the general public good and where monetary reward is not the principal motivating factor. Read
23 February 2001
For the first time in UN history, a substantive discussion on the role of volunteerism in the promotion of social development was held at the 39th session of the United Nations Economic and Social Council's Commission for Social Development in February 2001. A special panel of experts, organized by the UNV programme, preceded the government debate. It resulted in a draft resolution adopted by the 46 members of the Commission. Read
04 December 2000
This UN General Assembly resolution, co-sponsored by 60 Member States and adopted on 4 December 2000, calls upon states to promote an environment conducive to the discussion of the characteristics and trends of volunteer action in their own societies; calls for two plenary meetings of the 56th session of the GA to discuss volunteering on 5 December 2001 coinciding with the closing of IYV; and requests the Secretary-General to report on the outcome of IYV and its follow-up at the 57th session of the General Assembly. Read
20 November 1997
This UN General Assembly resolution declaring 2001 the International Year of Volunteers designated the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, the volunteer arm of the UN, as the focal point. The objectives of the Year are increased promotion, recognition, facilitation and networking of voluntary action worldwide. The resolution was co-sponsored by 123 countries. Read
Other languages: en français en español
17 December 1985
On the recommendation of the Second Committee, the UN General Assembly adopted this resolution (A/RES/40/212) on 17 December 1985, establishing 5 December as International Volunteer Day. Read
