President Tokayev noted that volunteerism continues to gain momentum across Kazakhstan. More than 1,000 events are being organized nationwide within the framework of IVY 2026, while the number of volunteers in the country has grown to nearly 300,000. 

Development begins with dignityLater, in public service and academia, those instincts deepened. I learned that development is not abstract. It is about dignity. About equity. About whether people feel seen in the systems that shape their lives. Policies matter, but only when they translate into real change.

The Humanitarian Reset starts from a similar premise. It recognizes that today’s humanitarian system must become leaner, more locally led and more accountable in the face of growing needs and shrinking resources. That ambition is welcome. Yet it might remain incomplete if it continues to overlook one of the system’s greatest strengths: the volunteers who make humanitarian action possible every day.

For Francesca, the winding road showed much of what she had learned about service. You do not always know the way. You cannot assume you have all the answers. Sometimes, the only way forward is to listen to the people who know the area.Francesca came to Lesotho from Italy as a UN Volunteer Social Policy Officer with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). She had worked in a country office before, but she wanted to move closer to the work in the field.

The volunteers have been prepared to take on specific duties across four key areas: the Green Zone, Blue Zone, hotels, and transportation. During the training, they were introduced to their assigned work areas and stations, and briefed on their roles, responsibilities, and the essential organizational information needed to support the conference.