I’m Katarzyna Wawiernia from Poland. My volunteer journey began with a simple step: I applied. At the time, I was working in northern Mozambique as a microfinance advisor, helping five local banks support income-generating projects for people living in poverty. When I saw the UN Volunteers ad, I went for it. Despite the myth that joining the United Nations is tough, my process was smooth—just a few exams and I was in.

On December 5, International Volunteer Day, 2024, the United Nations Development Programme Administrator, Achim Steiner, called on our communities to recognise and appreciate the contributions of one billion volunteers worldwide. These volunteers support local and international communities in various contexts, including crises. They engage both on-site and online, working on tasks ranging from supporting individuals to organising large-scale events. Their impact is undeniable. 

“By investing in education, building the capacity of community members, and fostering global citizenship, young people play a crucial role in creating a better future that is inclusive, equitable, and sustainable for generations to come.” The words of Diana Assenova, a UN Volunteer Education Assistant with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Kazakhstan resonate with the importance of youth and progress.

Through concerted efforts in Central Asia, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) aims to expand the opportunities for women and girls, promote positive social norms by engaging men and establish comprehensive systems and mechanisms for women and adolescents. Héloïse Versavel, UN Volunteer Gender-Based Violence Specialist supports UNFPA in Kazakhstan. She has a background in Human Rights Law. 

Your Excellency Mr President, Ladies and gentlemen, My name is Toily Kurbanov, and I bring to you greetings from 12,000 UN Volunteers worldwide. To help our interpreters: Менің атым Тойли Курбанов және мен сізге Біріккен Ұлттар Ұйымының волонтерлерінен сәлем жолдап келдім. First, I thank the government of Kazakhstan for organizing this International Forum on Volunteering and for inviting UNV.

Dilyara Begalykyzy is a student at Nazarbayev University in Political Science and International Relations. She serves as a UN Youth Volunteer Event Planning Assistant at the UNDP Accelerator Lab.  One of the most meaningful innovations for our society is the family social card. It allows the Government of Kazakhstan to define a family's social category and arrange the relevant social payments. A great example of how innovation can provide digital solutions for social problems," says Dilyara.

The Astana Civil Service Hub (ACSH) has been a flagship initiative of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Kazakhstan since 2013. Some 42 countries participate in this knowledge exchange platform. 

The event was held during the Ninth Asia-Pacific Forum for Sustainable Development, arranged by UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) in late March 2022. Dignitaries from UN entities, government officials, diplomatic corps, development partners and volunteers from Europe and the CIS and Asia and the Pacific attended the event live. More than 1,500 participants joined virtually.

When Aidana Yergaliyeva (Kazakhstan), Dayanch Hojageldiyev* (Turkmenistan), Malika Djalalova (Uzbekistan), Sara Kajevikj (North Macedonia), Parandzem Paryan (Armenia), Faris Mahmutovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Rusudan Khotivari (Georgia) joined their teams, many countries faced – and still face – difficult COVID-19 situations. But that didn’t scare them off.

In Kazakhstan, under the leadership of the Ministry of Information and Social Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan, volunteer organizations gathered for the International Volunteer of the Year Award ceremony in Pavlodar on 3 December.  UNV held a panel on International Volunteerism, featuring volunteers serving in Azerbaijan, Jordan, Russia and Turkey.