The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme signed a Memorandum of Understanding today with its long-standing partners, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ).  UNV Executive Coordinator Richard Dictus signed the Memorandum of Understanding with the State Secretary of the BMZ Hans-Jürgen Beerfeltz and GIZ Managing Director Cornelia Richter.  The ceremony took place at the premises of the Ministry, following discussions about the current and future collaboration between the thr

H.E. Mr. Takeshi Nakane, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Federal Republic of Germany from Japan made an official visit to Richard Dictus, Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme.

On Friday 7 December, almost one year after her last visit to the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme headquarters in Bonn, Germany, Rebeca Grynspan, the UNDP Associate Administrator, was welcomed again by UNV’s Executive Coordinator, s Flavia Pansieri. More than 100 staff members gathered to hear Ms Grynspan’s opinions on engaging volunteers and integrating volunteerism into programming.

The Golden Book of the City of Bonn, Germany has been signed by world leaders and distinguished personalities throughout the years. The most recent honour was bestowed on the Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, Ms Flavia Pansieri. Ms Pansieri was invited to sign the prestigious book in recognition of her steadfast leadership in the growth and development of the United Nations in Bonn.

UNV joined sister organizations in the annual celebration of UN Day 2012 in Bonn, which took place on Saturday, 20 October 2012.  Close to 25,000 people passed through the Market Square during the course of the day, with around 300 people in the United Nations tent at any given time from opening to closing.

On Friday, 24 August 2012, Flavia Pansieri, Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, and Jean-Pierre Ezin, Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology with the African Union Commission (AUC), signed a letter of understanding in which the two organizations agree to harmonize their efforts to promote the concept of youth volunteerism as a means to advance socio-economic growth and development in Africa.

PROMOTING VOLUNTEERING TO EMPOWER LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN DRIVING THE DEVELOPMENT AGENDA A new partnership between the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme and VSO, announced today, will maximize the potential of volunteering to help citizens drive development forward themselves.

According to the first State of the World’s Volunteerism Report, published in 2011 by United Nations Volunteer (UNV) programme, women and men volunteer for about the same number of hours.  Yet far from signalling gender equity, the report also states that “volunteering reinforces gender roles” and in many countries women’s voluntary action, for example in the volunteer care of children and older persons and hospice work, “was viewed as an extension of their maternal role.”  (SWVR Ch. 1 page 10)

If the next generations are to benefit from development, then development has to be sustainable. This is the challenge we all face. Yet, the best solutions are often the simplest ones, and the theme of the 64th annual UN DPI-NGO conference  says it all: Sustainable Societies, Responsive Citizens.

Sustainable development and volunteerism will be the main topics of discussion when non-governmental organizations (NGOs) meet in Bonn, Germany for the sixty-fourth annual United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI)/NGO meeting from 3 to 5 September.  The Conference, entitled “Sustainable Societies:  Responsive Citizens”, will use these twin themes to showcase the impact that volunteers and engaged citizens make on sustainable livelihoods and communities.