Executive Coordinator speaks on UN Day: Celebrating 80 Years of multilateralism and Germany’s steadfast commitment

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Toily Kurbanov, Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) spoke on the occasion of the United Nations Day in Bonn. His remarks emphasized the UN’s relevance, the need for reform, and Bonn’s symbolic importance as a hub for global solidarity and action.

Staatsministerin Güler,

Landesminister Liminski,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Dear friends,

Thank you for giving me the honour to say a few words on behalf of the United Nations in Bonn. 

Before coming here, I asked ChatGPT what would be the best speech about the UN to deliver to a German audience. It gave me a very good one—except the first sentence which went: “The UN is the only place where you can sit for hours and listen to a hundred speeches, and not one of them answers the question you asked. 

Doha Political Declaration elevates volunteerism as a pillar of social cohesion

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Doha Political Declaration of the “World Social Summit” under the title “the Second World Summit for Social Development” stated (in regards to volunteerism):

Encouraging volunteerism at all levels–local, national and international–and recognizing that these efforts contribute to social cohesion by promoting civic engagement.

What are the root causes of conflict? A volunteer’s voice from Ecuador

United Nations Volunteers
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Ecuador is a country of remarkable natural beauty and rich cultural heritage. Yet, beneath this diversity lies a deepening need for the inclusion of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Indigenous Peoples have endured marginalization, and while the Constitution enshrines the principle of interculturality, genuine dialogue remains fragile and uneven. Within this complex context, Noémie Dreux assumes a pivotal role. She is a UN Volunteer Conflict and Violence Prevention Specialist with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Her volunteer assignment is funded by the Government of France.

“Ecuador is marked by a long history of exclusion of Indigenous peoples and fragile intercultural dialogue, which continues to generate tensions,” Noémie explains. “Despite the Constitution recognizing the country as intercultural and plurinational, there is still a limited understanding of what these concepts truly mean, both in principle and in practice”. 

The UN Volunteer Midwives of Burkina Faso

United Nations Volunteers
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In Burkina Faso, conflict has forced over two million people from their homes—one in ten citizens. With nearly a third of health facilities shut down, women and girls are giving birth without safe care. To help, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) sent 25 national UN Volunteer midwives to five regions hit hardest by violence. In just two months, they delivered over 1,400 babies, provided 2,700 prenatal checkups, and treated 200 emergency complications. 

Among them are Agathe Ouoba in Diapaga and Élodie Toe in Titao—midwives saving lives and restoring dignity where it’s needed most.

Abandoning is not an option: In Diapaga, in the eastern Tapoa region, Agathe Ouoba is a midwife on the front lines. In May 2025, gunfire hit the town and shut down the health center. But life kept moving. “We were told to stay home,” Agathe says. “Women still went into labour. We helped one mother deliver at home using just a single-use ventouse. She and her baby made it.” 

Spotlighting human rights inside prison walls in Cambodia

United Nations Volunteers
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Océane Musaniwabo Mlanao doesn’t just talk about human rights—she walks straight into prisons to advocate for them. Based in Phnom Penh, she is a UN Volunteer Associate Human Rights Officer with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and spends her days face-to-face with detainees, listening to their stories and documenting their experiences. Océane is from France and her assignment is funded by her home country.

Every day at the office looks different for Océane. Some days, she travels to a detention center outside Phnom Penh to meet with a detainee. On other days, she attends a trial. But her focus is always on delivering recommendations that improve prison conditions and the treatment of prisoners through legal reform. 

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