During the mission, Mr Kurbanov reiterated UNV’s support to the priorities of the UN Development System in China, as agreed for the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2021-2025). Accordingly, UNV will enhance volunteer mobilization and knowledge exchange for the advancement of South-South Cooperation, localization of the SDGs, youth empowerment and environmental protection, among other priority areas of engagement.

Since the onset of COVID-19, online content and social media have become more important forms of public communication than ever.

Saúl arrived in South America full of enthusiasm for this project. He was eager to put his professional and educational background in applied social research and data analysis at the service of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), especially, SDG2, achieving zero hunger. As part of the Resilience and Emergency Team within FAO, Saúl loved the idea of being able to contribute to increasing agricultural production with a resilient approach, emphasizing collaboration with vulnerable rural communities.

The campaign will call on UN Volunteers to submit videos about the work they carry out with UN entities around the world to achieve the SDGs. These will be evaluated by Kopernik and UNV, in collaboration with Ricoh, and the winners will receive 360-degree cameras and training on how to use them. After the training, UN Volunteers will use the cameras to develop further 360-degree video content about the SDG challenges they are tackling in the field.

Putting everyone’s wellbeing first We commissioned the final project evaluation in March 2020. Setting out to identify barriers to disability inclusion within the UN system, we did not expect the evaluation itself would encounter an unprecedented obstacle: the start of the evaluation coincided with the onset of the COVID-19 crisis. As per the Independent Evaluation Office’s guidance, we put a principle of ‘Do No Harm’ first and undertook an all-virtual evaluation process with remote data collection to protect the well-being of everyone involved.

Oleksandra Malukalo joined the UN Resident Coordinator's Office in Ukraine as a national UN Volunteer last year. She is among national UN Volunteers deployed in 79 countries and with 18 UN entities through an investment of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme. UNV dedicated US $2 million for this purpose from its Special Voluntary Fund* (SVF), a flexible multi-donor fund that allows UNV to provide timely and strategic investments.

Hugo brought to UNDP his strong background in communications and digital marketing, technical skills, as well as a drive to contribute to the development of his home country, Guatemala. He has made a significant impact in various projects. One of these is En Marcha Digital, a strategic initiative that supports entrepreneurs in adapting their business models during the COVID-19 pandemic, equipping them with free digital tools to reach their clients in novel ways.

Launched end March 2021, the project aims to promote volunteer service for the Winter Olympics, develop a collaboration network for volunteering in Olympic cities and enhance youth engagement in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through volunteerism. In selecting 28 outstanding candidates to serve as volunteers with UN entities in China and abroad, UNV will be empowering international volunteering talents, and bolster the professionalism of China's volunteer management system.