The Voluntary National Reviews facilitate sharing experiences, successes, challenges and lessons learned, with a view to accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the achievement of the SDGs. They are voluntary, state-led, undertaken by both developed and developing countries, and ideally involve multiple national stakeholders. The Reports are expected to serve as a basis for the annual reviews by the HLPF.

When I was accepted for the assignment to develop content about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Colombia, I was very excited. For 17 weeks, I was expected to create social media posts about each of the 17 SDGs, share information, facts, photos, statistics and/or videos about SDGs in Colombia. Since I am Mexican, I also included content from my own country.

On 6 July 2017, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme in Serbia jointly with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) hosted in Belgrade a conference entitled Volunteerism for the Sustainable Development Goals. UNV Serbia facilitated the NGO, CSO and VIO joint-meeting to share knowledge, connect networks, and draw on best practices.

On 6 July 2017, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme in Serbia jointly with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) hosted in Belgrade a conference entitled Volunteerism for the Sustainable Development Goals. UNV Serbia facilitated the NGO, CSO and VIO joint-meeting to share knowledge, connect networks, and draw on best practices.

The report includes examples of how empowered Cambodian youth make a difference in their communities. It presents volunteering models that helped Cambodia recover from the decades of war and contributed to the country’s development, some of which can be replicated across the world. According to the results presented in the report, volunteer programmes in Cambodia have made a difference in reducing poverty, eradicating illiteracy, improving health, promoting gender equality, and protecting human rights and the environment.

The YouthConnekt Africa Summit (YCA) provides a unique opportunity that brings together development partners under one roof to discuss evidence-based interventions that empower youth. Volunteerism is at the heart of the Summit, where youth volunteer platforms and volunteer mobilization are advocated as key strategies to channel the energy and innovative spirit of youth in the region to accelerate Africa’s progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The YouthConnekt Africa Summit (YCA) provides a unique opportunity that brings together development partners under one roof to discuss evidence-based interventions that empower youth. Volunteerism is at the heart of the Summit, where youth volunteer platforms and volunteer mobilization are advocated as key strategies to channel the energy and innovative spirit of youth in the region to accelerate Africa’s progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In collaboration with the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, ASEAN Secretariat, ASEAN Foundation and SAP along with other partners have launched the Youth Volunteering Innovation Challenge (YVIC) in ASEAN. Under the theme “Impact ASEAN,” the initiative supports young volunteers throughout the ASEAN countries in their journey to catalyze youth-led innovation for social impact and sustainable development...

A conference facilitated by UNV promoted South-South cooperation and highlighted the role of volunteerism to common development challenges in countries across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and beyond. NBT World covers the event for Thailand.

Duvindi Illankoon, Manela Karunadasa and Kavitha Ariyabandu are on a six-month UN Volunteer assignment and support the World Bank on core staff responsibilities that include developing the existing relationship with the Government of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and maintaining momentum on national economic reform. This new deployment is especially noteworthy – World Bank and UNV rejuvenate their more than three-decade old partnership and, UN Volunteers take on core bank staff responsibilities instead of being tasked to specific projects as in the past.