On December 5th, people around the world celebrated the contribution Volunteers make to humanity.
The International Volunteer Day (IVD) was declared by the United Nations in 1985 as an international observance day to celebrate the power and potential of volunteerism.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognizes that volunteering can be a powerful means of making our world a more peaceful, inclusive, and sustainable one – for this generation and for generations to come.
This year’s celebration has been placed under the theme: “Volunteers Act First. Here. Everywhere”. This provides opportunities to recognize the solidarity of volunteers around the world who answer calls in times of crisis, saving lives today and supporting more lives tomorrow. The International Volunteer Day therefore gave an opportunity to celebrate, but more so to raise awareness on the role that volunteers play as first responders in times of crisis.
UN Resident Coordinator in Lesotho Mr. Salvator Niyonzima wished to use this opportunity to recognize individual volunteers, young people, philanthropic organizations and private sector for offering their time, skills and knowledge at community, national and international levels to advance humanity.
He noted that in Lesotho, Volunteerism has been an integral part of the culture infused with values such as Ubuntu - I am, because you are; and rooted in our community daily practices of belonging and caring for one another. UN RC expressed gratitude and admiration for the volunteers working in Lesotho, who are tirelessly working to “Leave no one behind”.