05 December 2003

New Delhi: United Nations Volunteers and the Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti, a volunteer-involving organization, organized a volunteer fair titled "V Need U", to celebrate International Volunteer Day (IVD) on 13 December 2003 in the capital New Delhi.

The programme was organized at the National Memorial of Mahatma Gandhi, situated at 5 Tees January Marg, New Delhi. The main objective of the Fair was to facilitate organizations and volunteers to provide opportunities to network and promote volunteering amongst non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, private companies and governmetn agencies.

Thirty organizations participated in a volunteers 'haat', including the Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, National Service Scheme, Federation of Indian Chambers and Commerce, Skillshare, Volunteer Service Overseas (VSO), Oneworld, Mitra, an e-volunteering organization; Nature Club - Orissa, CADAM, Chetna, Butterflies, Team DIPTI, AIESEC, student organisations and more. Some of these organizations signed up volunteers. The forum was also used as an opportunity to exchange information and best practices amongst the participating organizations, specifically in promoting volunteering and volunteer management. During the course of the day, around 65 people signed up to volunteer services with the various participating organizations.

The carnival also witnessed an interaction of youth from different schools and out-of-school youth on the theme ' Youth Against Violence on Women'. Youth from the Delhi Public School and the 'Bal Panchayat' of Gandhi Smriti presented their experiences and recommendations on the theme. This programme marked a crucial phase of a volunteers campaign on the issue in Delhi's schools.

During the fair, 18 volunteer street theatre groups performed on diverse social themes, ranging from the social evil of dowry to better waste management. Performances included a pantomime on dowry by the Delhi Public School. The Kirori Mal College performed a street play on violence against women. Other performances included one by the Ashray Adhikar Abhiyaan on the plight of homeless children on the streets of Delhi. The Centre for Alternative Dalit Media's youth from the slums of Delhi performed inspiring awareness songs.

In the afternoon, a panel discussion on "Contemporary Issues in Volunteering" was held in the Conference hall of the Gandhi Smriti. On the panel were Ms. Jyotsna Chatterjee of the Joint Women's Programme, Mr H.S.Kingra, Director (Youth Affairs), Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports - Government of India, Mr. Gerard Lemos, Deputy Chair - British Council, UK, Mr. Leif Packelan, Chairperson - World Comics, Finland and Mr. Jerry Almeida, CEO, Actionaid, New Delhi. The panel was moderated by Mr. Rahul Dev, of 'Samyak'. A film titled 'The Joy of Giving' , highlighting the role of volunteers in the process of nation building was screened at the end of the panel discussion.

Another highlight of the Fair was an exhibition of some of the works of Indian and Finnish artists to advocate social awareness using the medium of comics. At the "artists corner", volunteers and artists painted tackling violence on women, social inequality and childhood.