That choice is not accidental. It reflects the vision set out in the new UNV Strategic Framework 2026–2029, which places volunteerism as a people-centered force at the heart of the United Nations’ future. The framework affirms something I see every day in my work: sustainable development, peace, and human rights are advanced not by systems alone, but by empowered people working with and for their communities. I am an Operations Associate for the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) in the Europe and Central Asia region and based in Istanbul.
I work at the intersection of systems, people, and uncertainty. In a nutshell, that means working behind the scenes to support the recruitment of UN Volunteers across more than 30 countries, including in emergency contexts such as Ukraine.
I see firsthand how automation is reshaping the way we work and how quietly many of us wonder: What will my role be when machines can do what humans once did?
We’re living in a fast‑moving, unpredictable world—where technology races ahead of our sense of purpose. That’s exactly why UNV stands out to me.
In a world increasingly run by algorithms, UNV reminds us of something essential: The human role is not disappearing, it is becoming more important.
Here are four reasons why UNV matters more than ever in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI):
1. Empathy cannot be automated
AI can analyze emotions, but it cannot sit with uncertainty. Through my work supporting operations at UNV, I have helped coordinate responses shaped by uncertainty from war and earthquakes to natural disasters and political instability. In those moments, efficiency alone is not enough. Speaking the same language is not enough. What was needed was someone willing to sit, listen, absorb fear, and understand people’s experiences before proposing solutions. That creates collective resilience, the ability to move forward together despite uncertainty.
2. Human connection creates real impact
Technology connects systems. UNV connects people. In my role supporting operations across Europe and Central Asia, I work on initiatives spanning more than 30 countries, each with its own culture, tradition, and reality. No automated system can capture that diversity. UNV does not erase these differences, nor does it try to turn people into a single prototype. Instead, it draws strength from multilateralism: the ability of diverse people, perspectives, and cultures to work together toward a shared purpose. We are not united by sameness, but by service. And that human connection is something no algorithm can replace.
3. Local knowledge beats global algorithms
AI sees patterns. UNV sees people. From an operational standpoint, I often see perfectly designed solutions needing real‑world adaptation. Cultural norms, local priorities and lived experience shape every implementation — insights you only gain through genuine human engagement. When supporting recruitment for initiatives like women-friendly cities, human rights protection, minority rights, and crisis response, we do not rely on data alone. We look at people, their stories, their motivations, and their connection to the communities they serve. Operations at UNV go beyond numbers. They transform data into meaning, and statistics into human stories.
4. Service is the most future-proof skill
Tools change. Systems evolve. But service remains. Working in recruitment means constantly adapting, managing uncertainty, limited resources, and shifting priorities. In these moments, UNV builds what technology cannot replicate: empathy, courage, teamwork, humility, and resilience. From backend coordination to field support, UNV remains committed to a human-centered vision. We don’t just deliver processes or outputs; we help protect dignity, fairness, and hope. That is a future that never goes out of style.
In a future shaped by automation, the defining question is not about technology; it is about us. Will we treat volunteerism as optional, or will we protect it as the human act that keeps dignity, solidarity, and compassion alive?
