In June 2011, UNV Executive Coordinator Flavia Pansieri spoke on the occasion of the UN Department of Public Information (DPI) Briefing to NGOs in New York. She focused on youth, a significant resource for volunteering. “Youth are not the problem, they are part of the solution,” she said.

Volunteers have played a critical role since the start of the environmental movement.  They have recognized that individual and collective action is necessary to raise awareness about and engage others in environmental action.  Everyone shares this responsibility and has a role to play, from turning off the lights in America to planting trees in Ethiopia. “Volunteering is centred on values, which makes it very powerful.  It is about the genuine desire to make a difference, to get engaged and to respond,” says UNV Executive Coordinator Flavia Pansieri.  “On the ground, that

Volunteers have played a critical role since the start of the environmental movement.  They have recognized that individual and collective action is necessary to raise awareness about and engage others in environmental action.  Everyone shares this responsibility and has a role to play, from turning off the lights in America to planting trees in Ethiopia.

Inspired by the impact of volunteerism and the contribution made by volunteers, Rebeca Grynspan, the UNDP Associate Administrator, pledged to take time to meet with UN Volunteers and visit UNV supported projects during her field visits.