Community radio plays an important role in communities across the world. Improving this vital means of communication – is what this story from Zimbabwe is all about. Sometimes it's tough to get started. It takes bravery to sit or stand in front of a microphone and broadcast. But that's exactly what a group of volunteers from the Auxeni community radio in Zimbabwe do, with the help of training from national broadcasters.

Good afternoon, On behalf of the United Nations Volunteers programme, I am very happy to be here in Mexico City today, on the occasion of International Volunteer Day. Let me start by greeting our Volunteers – today is all about you and the incredible work you are doing here in Mexico.

I have come to you today with an open mind, an open heart and open hands. I have come with an open mind, because this is the first visit of the head of UNV to Yemen since 1982. Forty years is a long time. There is a lot to reconnect, to absorb and to adjust. Last week, my father called me from Moscow and asked where I was going. I said, I am going to Yemen. He was happy to hear that and asked me if I knew that Yemen is one of only ten countries mentioned in the Holy Q’uran.

People together in raves  – not to dance only this time but to also clear debris and begin rebuilding – all to the beat of a DJ set.

Over a billion people volunteer their time, skills, and experience to help improve their communities. From providing practical support to vulnerable children and adults to advising on sophisticated technical and legal issues, volunteers are present at all levels of society. Each one brings a specific set of skills to their tasks. To mark this occasion, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed sends a message of thanks to volunteers, who, she says, "bring concrete solutions to development challenges and for the common good."

A large part of being a volunteer is that you have ownership of your solutions – that's the story of Hajara Maimuna Idi, a community volunteer in Borno State, northeast Nigeria.

Volunteering is not just about responding to an immediate crisis. It's also about making sure the affected population is well on its way, sustaining itself.

One volunteer is Omar Basam Abu Hamad. At 22, Omar is a paramedic and a qualified teacher. He lives in Al-Fawwar refugee camp, south of Hebron in the West Bank, where there is only one health center to meet the needs of 9,500 people. Omar and other volunteers provide health services, including psychological support, to people living in refugee camps.

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme's slogan for this IVD – Together, Act Now – highlights the value of volunteers and their ability to create positive change. Events to mark the day are held in every region of the world, bringing together volunteers, governments, and civil society to celebrate the spirit of volunteering. This IVD, UNV encourages all our partners to join us in our campaign, with the associated hashtag #TogetherActNow.

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.