Held during International Volunteer Year 2026, the Roundtable will focus on how volunteer action can strengthen solidarity and practical cooperation in the region and globally.Partners will review results from UNV’s Full Funding and Special Voluntary Fund, exchange lessons, and explore new ways to work together as priorities evolve across Asia and in the UN system.

I saw this gap up close, when I attended this year's Humanitarian Network and Partnerships Week in March 2026 in Geneva, a global forum for all humanitarian actors, including volunteer-involving organizations. Across discussions, one message came through clearly: business as usual will not work. This year, the focus was on humanitarian reset and what it means for the people affected by the humanitarian crisis. 

What is your educational background? I have a bachelor’s degree in Russian Studies/Political Science and a master’s degree in International Relations with focus on conflicts and transformations in the Middle East.

This initiative wasn’t just about rolling out a system—it showed what’s possible when drawing on local expertise.

UN Volunteers in BeijingAt China’s International Center for Economic and Technical Exchanges (CICETE), Jialin is a young Chinese UN Volunteer Project Analyst with UNOSSC. She organizes trainings, reviews grant proposals, and drafts policy briefs that drive sustainable development in agriculture, clean energy, and poverty reduction. 

Why do Member States contribute to the Special Voluntary Fund?  For rapid response: Swiftly deploying UN Volunteers during crises and emergencies.To champion diversity and inclusion: Expanding volunteer opportunities for a diverse and inclusive United Nations.To promote data-driven volunteering: Increasing global evidence and recognition of volunteering to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.  

Angela was also one of the campaign volunteers who participated in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Roundtable discussion that centered on the survey, conducted by the United Nations Office of Partnerships (UNOP). Women were asked questions about how they see the future, their priorities, fears and hopes, and how global leaders can listen to them and support them to address issues, challenges and opportunities of the future.

UNV and the International Labour Organization (ILO) will partner on the deployment of UN Volunteers in support of the organization's work, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding. Moussa Oumarou, ILO Deputy Director-General for Field Operations and Partnerships, and Olivier Adam, Executive Coordinator of UNV, signed the agreement on 9 March 2020, at ILO headquarters in Geneva.

UNV and the International Labour Organization (ILO) will partner on the deployment of UN Volunteers in support of the organization's work, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding. Moussa Oumarou, ILO Deputy Director-General for Field Operations and Partnerships, and Olivier Adam, Executive Coordinator of UNV, signed the agreement on 9 March 2020, at ILO headquarters in Geneva.

The agreement was signed in Geneva, Switzerland, by Tim Martineau, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Management and Governance, a.i., and Olivier Adam, UNV Executive Coordinator. "Volunteers have played a critical role in the response to HIV since the earliest days of the epidemic," said Tim Martineau, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Management and Governance, a.i. "UNAIDS recognizes their importance, values their engagement and will continue to support their contribution in joining global efforts to end AIDS."