On Monday 22 October, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programmes Executive Coordinator, Ms. Flavia Pansieri, met with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Ms. Pansieri briefed the Secretary-General on a number of recent UNV achievements, and specifically on the progress made by UNV, with partners, in the development of the Youth Volunteer Programme, called for in the Secretary-Generals Five Year Action Agenda launched in January 2012. Ms. Pansieri noted that following due consultations, UNV will launch the Youth Volunteer Programme in early 2013, and a trust fund to help initiate and implement the Programme within the coming month.
Among many issues discussed, the Secretary-General spoke of the inspiring work of volunteers of all ages and backgrounds around the world, working in difficult places. Ms. Pansieri presented the Secretary-General with a copy of the State of the Worlds Volunteerism Report (SWVR), launched at the General Assembly in December 2011, which underlines how universal the values of volunteerism are in the world. Ms. Pansieri noted that it is UNVs hope that through working with key UN and non-UN partners, the analysis undertaken through the production of the SWVR can be integrated well within the post-2015 Development Agenda.
The Secretary-General expressed his gratitude for Ms. Pansieris 29 years of service to the United Nations, with Ms. Panseiri due to complete her assignment at UNV in December 2012.