Youth as the catalyst to progressing on climate change in the Arab States

Zeinab Chamas, Denis Korchunov and Yulia Isaeva
print pdf
Low quality, print optimized High quality, color print

For many years, caring about the state of the planet has seemed almost a luxury to those living in unstable political climates and developing countries. However, the facts are now clear as light: climate change is something that affects everyone, with long-lasting impact for future generations.

Across the globe, the impacts of anthropogenic action are pervasive as never before: in the Maghreb, crops grown on marginal lands are failing; in Egypt, rising sea levels are impacting impoverished neighbourhoods; in Jordan, competition and tensions over resources is predicted to only intensify as warming temperatures further heighten

Sports and volunteerism as a transformative force

Lima, Peru
print pdf
Low quality, print optimized High quality, color print

“We always referred to inclusive volunteerism, where there are no restrictions, for example, of age. The selected volunteers are at least 16 years old, but above that age there is no limit. Diversity is one of the fundamental pillars of the volunteers engaged with the Games. Around 61 percent of the trained volunteers were women, and their participation was critical for the success of the events,” said Angela Morales, the head of the Volunteer Office in Lima. 

Sports and volunteerism as a transformative force

print pdf
Low quality, print optimized High quality, color print

“We always referred to inclusive volunteerism, where there are no restrictions, for example, of age. The selected volunteers are at least 16 years old, but above that age there is no limit. Diversity is one of the fundamental pillars of the volunteers engaged with the Games. Around 61 percent of the trained volunteers were women, and their participation was critical for the success of the events,” said Angela Morales, the head of the Volunteer Office in Lima. 

Shaping the future of youth in Kosovo*

Katarina Radoičić and Radoš Stevanović, UN Community Volunteers in Kosovo*
print pdf
Low quality, print optimized High quality, color print

The engagement of youth in the reconciliation process in Kosovo* has proven to have substantive peace-building potential, as young women and men are the ones that can be open to challenge unquestioned beliefs and divisive narratives and have the ability to envision a more peaceful and brighter future for themselves.

The joint UN project Empowering Youth for a Peaceful, Prosperous, and Sustainable Future in Kosovo* is implemented through a synergized effort among the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and UN Women and is funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (PBF).

The project aims to engage youth with shared interests and concerns belonging to underserved communities to become active changemakers and catalyze peace and trust-building energies in Kosovo.

Contributing to fortifying peace in South Sudan

Marko Miljevic, UN Volunteer Civil Affairs Officer, UNMISS
print pdf
Low quality, print optimized High quality, color print

Originally from Bosnia and Herzegovina, I am serving as a UN Volunteer Civil Affairs Officer with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. Becoming a UN Volunteer gave me the opportunity to contribute to fortifying peace in South Sudan, using my accumulated experience and knowledge.

With a particular focus on the protection of civilians, all my efforts were geared towards communicating with parties to the conflict and identifying ways forward, while simultaneously managing and preventing conflicts.

I met many people – from the opposition, the towns and the villages, government representatives and ‘monyomiji’ (youth) from different tribes – to discuss the peace process and the problems faced by the communities while maintaining peace and working on the development of their respective communities at the same time.

Global Technical Meeting 2020 on Volunteering for the 2030 Agenda

Bonn, Germany
print pdf
Low quality, print optimized High quality, color print

Global Technical Meeting 2020 on Volunteering for the 2030 Agenda

print pdf
Low quality, print optimized High quality, color print

South-South Cooperation: Reducing poverty in Cambodia by developing the skills of youth through volunteerism

UNV partnering with Cambodia and IBSA
print pdf
Low quality, print optimized High quality, color print

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme has been partnering with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport in Cambodia on an innovative approach to developing youth skills through volunteering, funded by the India, Brazil and South Africa Facility for Poverty and Hunger Alleviation (IBSA) Fund. On the occasion of the 41st anniversary of the 1978 adoption by consensus of the Buenos Aires Plan of Action for Promoting and Implementing Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries, we showcase this successful example of South-South and Triangular Cooperation.

The partnership of UNV, IBSA Fund and the Cambodian Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport aimed to increase the ability of Cambodian youth to build their skills and find decent work through volunteerism, as well as contribute better to their own development and the economic development of their country by reducing poverty amongst youth. 

Leaving corporates for refugees: one life change that changed many others

Endah Yuliarso, international UN Volunteer with UNHCR in Iraq
print pdf
Low quality, print optimized High quality, color print

This story is part of the #Volunteers4Refugees campaign, launched by UNV in partnership with UNHCR on World Refugee Day 2019. The campaign features stories of six UN Volunteers working with UNHCR in the Arab States, Europe and CIS for one mission: to help save lives and build better futures for those forced from home.

“Through my experience with the refugees, I have found the real meaning of my life.” With these words, Endah Ayuningsih Yuliarso (Indonesia, 33) summarizes her life-changing experience, which demarcated a shift in her personal career from dealing with numbers to supporting refugees.

“Most of my career as a lawyer was spent representing corporations and high net worth individuals. I always felt that my efforts mostly ended up adding digits in someone’s bank account,” explains Endah.

UNV and the State of Palestine partner to enhance volunteering for the 2030 Agenda

print pdf
Low quality, print optimized High quality, color print
Subscribe to