UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and UNDP Administrator Kemal Dervis marked the International Day of Volunteers (December 5) by calling for recognition of the value of volunteerism and encouragement of it by all concerned.
In his message on the occasion of the International Day of Volunteers, Mr. Annan said the natural disasters in 2005 had clearly shown the value of the contributions of volunteers: “From the flooded streets of New Orleans to the flattened villages in Pakistan…..They have volunteered their time, energy and skills to save lives and to rebuild communities,” he said. Mr Annan, stressing that the volunteers must be part of a united approach said in his statement: “Of course, they do not, and must not, work alone. As world leaders reiterated at the World Summit in September, achievement of the Millennium Development Goals requires a collective effort. If we are to make poverty history, we must have the active participation of States, civil society and the private sector, as well as individual volunteers. A united approach is especially critical in countries that will not meet the Millennium Goals without dramatic increases in effort.”
UNDP Administrator Kemal Dervis, for his part emphasized the role of volunteers in the development process: “ As is being demonstrated around the world today, volunteers have a unique and important role to play as active participants in development,” he said in a message to mark the day.
Mr. Dervis underlined the indispensable role of volunteers in efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals but said “… much remains to be done to ensure that the potential of volunteerism in support of the global development agenda is fully realized.”
Mr. Dervis, emphasizing the need “to continue to raise awareness of the impact that countless numbers of ordinary citizens – drawn from a wide spectrum of society including the poor, women and other marginalized groups – can make to the development of their own communities when they are mobilized and properly supported,” ended his message by calling on governments “…of both rich and poor countries, as well as other stakeholders and the entire UN system, to create more opportunities for people to contribute to development in tangible ways through volunteerism. Participation by all in this fight against poverty – especially those intended to benefit from the actions being undertaken – is vital to achieving our common goal of eradicating poverty and promoting sustainable human development for all.”
Introducing two Afghan volunteers with UNV...
Qari Kefayatullah Wardak
Bringing digital technology to the Afghan Supreme Court
Mr.Ahmad Rashed Esar
Administrative Advisor Kabul Medical University (KMU)
