You were the 100th United Nations Youth Volunteer (UNYV) deployed by SEF. What is your assessment of this young talent promotion programme?

Kazakhstan contributes to the work of UNV through its Full Funding programme, cost-sharing efforts and support for International Volunteer Day (IVD) and other events. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan is a committed partner, and has been making a financial contribution of US $2,000 to UNV's Special Voluntary Fund (SVF) every year since 2016.

Since then, and despite the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic posed on the implementation of the UNV Full Funding Programme, a total of 62 Russian fully funded UN Volunteers have been supporting the development and humanitarian efforts of the UN worldwide. In its Voluntary National Review (VNR) the Government of the Russian Federation reported on this collaboration: "The Russian Federation is also cooperating with the UN Volunteers programme.

Now a year into the pandemic, global health matters have become the most important issue facing peace and development worldwide. Indeed, as a part of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, good health and wellbeing are crucial not only for those in need, but also for a more prosperous and sustainable world. "No country will be safe from COVID-19 until all countries are safe." --UN Secretary-General António Guterres

It's been more than a year since the COVID-19 outbreak started. Although there have been countless challenges, which were hard to resolve, we are enduring these testing times well together. Among those who have been tirelessly fighting COVID-19 – either on the frontlines or by wearing masks or staying at home – we would like to recognize and honour our UN Volunteers' tremendous efforts to address the challenges of the pandemic.

Spain, represented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the deployment of fully funded UN Volunteers worldwide. For instance, these volunteers support UN efforts to defend human rights, promote gender equality and foster food security in Latin America and Africa.

Luxembourg was one of the 124 co-sponsors of the UN General Assembly Resolution on Volunteering for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (A/C.3/73/L.13) in 2018. In 2017, Luxembourg presented its Volunteer National Report, in the context of the Plan of Action to integrate volunteering in the 2030 Agenda.

During the Global Technical Meeting (GTM) on Reimagining Volunteerism for the 2030 Agenda, high-ranking officials and volunteers exchanged on how volunteering is contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), how governments and organizations can better protect volunteers, and how volunteering can and should be recognized.

Korea was one of the 124 co-sponsors of the UN General Assembly resolution on Volunteering for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (A/C.3/73/L.13) in 2018. Korea also actively supports the promotion of volunteerism and participated in the 2019 Asian Regional Consultation on the Plan of Action for Integrating Volunteerism into the Agenda 2030 as a guest speaker in the session 'Volunteering for and by Senior citizens'. 

We live in turbulent times and compacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the issue of mental health is not only relevant but crucial. Mental health is more than the presence or absence of a mental illness. It is a crossroad between emotional, psychological, and physical well-being.