05 December 2003

Kingston: Facing an untimely storm warning -- the first one in over 20 years for this time of the year – the International Volunteer Day celebration in Jamaica was very successful with a remarkable turnout.

Events planned across the island focused on different aspects of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) -- eradication of extreme poverty, combating HIV/AIDS and malaria and environmental sustainability. People were encouraged to volunteer at HIV/AIDS clinics, issues on fishing were discussed and a demonstration was organized at a sewage treatment plant.

In St. Thomas, part of the "volunteer village" was a desk for registration of volunteers. By the end of the day, 50 people had registered.