Volunteerism as a vehicle for sustainable development
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development explicitly recognises volunteer groups as stakeholders to achieve the 17 SDGs.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development explicitly recognises volunteer groups as stakeholders to achieve the 17 SDGs.
Africa needs a people-led development pathway that puts the role of youth at the core of the continental development agenda. Thus concluded the colorful side event jointly convened by the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme and the Africa Union Commission (AUC) on 26 August 2016 to head off the sixth Tokyo International Conference on Africa Development (TICAD VI) held for the first time in Africa, in Nairobi from 27 to 28 August 2016.
Africa needs a people-led development pathway that puts the role of youth at the core of the continental development agenda. Thus concluded the colorful side event jointly convened by the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme and the Africa Union Commission (AUC) on 26 August 2016 to head off the sixth Tokyo International Conference on Africa Development (TICAD VI) held for the first time in Africa, in Nairobi from 27 to 28 August 2016.
The UNV Partnerships Forum 2016 was held in Bonn, Germany, on 13-14 October 2016. Organized by UNV in collaboration with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the City of Bonn, this was the second edition of this event.
The UNV Partnerships Forum 2016 was held in Bonn, Germany, on 13-14 October 2016. Organized by UNV in collaboration with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the City of Bonn, this was the second edition of this event.
Women food cooperatives in the Lebanese region of Bekaa produce high quality natural jams, pickles, juice, and other Lebanese delights. While they have good manufacturing facilities and excellent products, marketing and sales continue to be a challenge. As part of UNV's Corporate/Private Sector programme, two experts from Kraft Foods went on a volunteer assignment to Lebanon to assist the cooperatives in boosting sales.
UNV Executive Coordinator Flavia Pansieri is in Australia this week meeting with government and civil society representatives to share information about the unique contribution of volunteerism to peace and development and the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers (IYV+10).
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Our partnering entities include the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office (UNRCO).
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Partnerships in the humanitarian and migration sector are often measured in frameworks and agreements. Yet, the most meaningful partnerships are built through something less visible: sustained trust, shared purpose, and colleagues who choose, day after day, to work together.
In April 2026, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) convened in Bonn, Germany for a two-day mission to the UNV Headquarters, a moment to reflect on a collaboration that has grown steadily both in scale and strategic depth, and to look ahead at what it can still become.