22 November 2005, 11:56
by Daniela Tarizzo

Dear all,  

This year, to celebrate International Volunteer Day, we are organizing a week-long series of activities aimed at informing, communicating and sensitizing the civil society about what we have been able to realize in Kosovo in 2005 thanks to the contribution of all who have voluntarily joined our initiatives.   I am writing to ask your enthusiast contribution and participation, as usual.

The first event we are promoting is an exhibition of photographs about the present context in Kosovo, with focus on people, without any political, ethnic, religious or other bias. It is going to take place in the Art Gallery in Pristina on next 2nd Dec. at 19.00. Enclosed are samples of the pictures, to give you an idea - hope your inboxes won't suffer from it.

It would be wonderful if you would accept to contribute in one (or both!!) of the following ways:

 

• By providing us a written comment from your field experience, which we can exhibit together with the photographs - it could be whatever you feel you would like to communicate: one phrase, one anecdote, one paragraph of reflections about your tasks, your life here, your impressions, your relationships with the local communities, etc.
• By preparing some food for the opening buffet, any kind you may like to give offered on the inauguration and which doesn't mean too much trouble for you to prepare (or to transport, if you come from far away, as well as to be practially consumed at the moment, and without waiter's assistance - fondue bourgignonne and shirmp brochettes have already been proposed and disregarded for obvious technical reasons....)

On IVDay itself, 5th Dec. we have arranged two public events:

• Launch of the Balkan Peace Park documentary about the cross-border "Long Walk for Peace" between Kosovo, Montenegro and Albania, which took place last August, carrying important messages about volunteerism, peace-building, cultural cohesion and environmental protecion (ABC Cinema, Pristina, at 11.00 am) - here as well some in-kind contribution by the hidden cooks among you would be much appreciated!
• Launch of the RIVERSEE - Regional Integration through Volunteer Exchange in South East Europe databse, the basic tool for registering volunteers in the framework of a cross-border project promoted by UNV in the Balkans to enable youth to undergo a year-long working experience in another country (KYN, Youth Center, Pristina, at 13.00)
• In the evening, we are propably being invited by RTK at a special episode of the talk show on human rights "Hapat" for an extraordinary edition on volunteerism, but this is still under definition, I'll let you know more details further ahead.

On 6th and 7th, a conference on discrimination is being planned, with eloquent contributions by different representatives of institutions involved in the issue, to be held in UNDP Conference Room, still under organization.

The art youth group Global Motion, whom you certainly know very active and committed to the defense of values, as well as much requested on all sides by the various international celebrations falling in these dates, is still struggling to find some time in their extremely tight schedule to participate in some common event, and we are discussing how to better concile their professional engagements with our ideas and the respective needs.

It would be more than helpful if you would agree in supporting us by spreading the information as much as possible, especially involing any media you may be in contact with, in order to ensure the widest possible participation in the events. Final arrangements will be communicated soon, but do consider this schedule won't probably change.

So, here you have the panorama, DON'T MISS!!!!

Sharmini: you may wish to kindly forward this information to all UNMIK volunteers for their contribution, thanks.

 

Daniela Tarizzo

UNV Programme Officer

United Nations Volunteers Programme in Kosovo

UNDP Kosovo