Bonn, Germany – This week, a partnership agreement was signed between the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme and the Republic of Kazakhstan. The commitment to a strengthened partnership between UNV and the Republic of Kazakhstan extends to supporting UN Volunteer assignments for Kazakhstani nationals to serve within the United Nations system.
"We highly appreciate the partnership with the Republic of Kazakhstan and the commitment to continue to promote volunteerism within the country and globally," states Olivier Adam, Executive Coordinator of UNV.
Volunteerism has deep historical and cultural roots in Kazakhstan. The country has been always an active and committed partner for volunteerism, supporting relevant movements at global, regional and national level. At the “Expo-2017 “Future Energy” in Nur-Sultan 5,000 volunteers were mobilized and 3,000 served at the 28th World Student and Youth Sport Winter Games “Universiade-2017” in Almaty.
"Strengthening the partnership with UNV, along with the announcement of 2020 as the Year of the Volunteer by the President, demonstrates strong commitment to volunteerism as a unique mechanism for the Republic of Kazakhstan and its ambitions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals," says Dauren Abayev, Minister of Information and Social Development, Republic of Kazakhstan.
This strengthened cooperation with UNV will provide Kazakhstani citizens with opportunity to contribute their knowledge and expertise for international development, while reaching unique experience and professional exposure.
Partnership with UNV is not new to Kazakhstan. UNV has been in the country since 1993 and cumulatively 150 Kazakhstani nationals have served as UN Volunteers since then. The newly signed cooperation agreement will help to increase the number of Kazakhstani citizens serving internationally on UN Volunteer assignments.
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Contact for further information: Jennifer Stapper/ jennifer.stapper@unv.org/ +4915201522181
EDITORIAL NOTES
The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization that promotes volunteerism to support peace and development worldwide. UNV contributes to peace and development by mobilizing volunteers, advocating for volunteerism globally and encouraging partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming. UNV’s vision is a world where volunteerism is recognized, within societies, as a way for all people and countries to achieve peace and development through the simultaneous eradication of poverty and significant reduction of inequalities and exclusion.