28 May 2010

Bonn, Germany: In 1997, the UN General Assembly, convinced that the need for volunteer effort was greater than ever and that a year designed to enhance the recognition, facilitation, networking and promotion of volunteer service could make a significant contribution to generating increased awareness of the achievements and further potential of volunteerism, proclaimed 2001 as the International Year of Volunteers - or 'IYV'.

Resolution A/Res/52/17 adopted by the General Assembly in 1997. International Year of Volunteers, 2001
 
To consolidate successes attained and build on the momentum created by the International Year of Volunteers, the General Assembly called for the marking of IYV+10 in 2011.

Resolution A/Res/63/153 adopted by the General Assembly in 2009. International Year of Volunteers 2001+10

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of IYV  governments, volunteer involving organizations (VIOs), the UN system, civil society organizations, business, academic institutions and other partners will join together  to celebrate and build upon the growth and diversification of volunteerism the International Year helped to stimulate.  

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme in Bonn hosted The Consultative Meeting on the International Year of Volunteers +10 to discuss ways to mark this anniversary and determine a practical Global Action Plan to guide stakeholders. In two seperate articles under Background are able to find documents which were drafted as a result of the meeting: Global Call for Action and Vision Statement. The Vision Statement discusses the goals and objectives of the year. The Global Call for Action encourages various actors, at the international, national and regional level, to join the effort and become involved in marking IYV+10. Both documents are available in branded and non-branded form under Background in seperate articles dedicated to each document. A non-branded version can be used in the context of your activities to mark IYV+10 with your organization’s header or logo. This is to reinforce the idea that UNV does not own IYV+10 and promote it as a global, joint effort.