Thanks to Telecoms Sans Frontieres' (TSF) digital lifelines, victims of natural disasters can talk to their loved ones immediately after disasters. The charity, run by volunteers, sets up temporary communications infrastructure for the victims and disaster response charities to help them coordinate relief efforts.   Visit site

Kingston, Jamaica: A marine litter researcher has lauded the efforts of volunteers in bringing about legislative change to protect the marine environment.  Visit site

Abu Dhabi, UAE: The first international symposium on developing a 'culture of volunteering' in universities and schools across the country was held in the capital on 29 April. Organized by the Emirates Foundation's volunteer programme Takatof, the symposium, titled 'Learning from the International Volunteer Experience', featured international delegates who stressed that volunteering is a critical aspect of an active civil society.  Visit site

New York, USA: Corporate volunteerism often used to mean cleaning up public parks or building homes for the needy. Today, a growing number of companies are lending out skilled employees to nonprofits and struggling small businesses around the world.  Visit site

Charities should tap into a new trend for volunteering after retirement, according to new research. A survey of 1,000 workers aged 45 and over showed that more than one in five are considering taking up voluntary work after they retire.  Visit site

Washington DC, USA: While International Volunteer Day is held on 5 December, in North America National Volunteer Week (NVW) 2008 is from 27 April to 3 May. In the US, this week is about "engaging individuals in service, inspiring a nation to join a movement for change, and recognizing deserving volunteers with the President’s Volunteer Service Award and other meaningful signs of thanks". The campaign slogan is 'Volunteer to Change the World'.

Click here for the United States NVW site and here for Canada's.

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If the Peace Corps wishes to help in the fight against HIV/AIDS, it needs to send expertise, not just youthful zeal. That was what Ethiopian officials politely told Peace Corps country director Peter Parr when he approached them last summer with a proposal to send a batch of volunteers to work on the pandemic.  Visit site

Washington DC, USA: Millions of young people from Cambodia to Peru, from Pakistan to Liberia, from Mexico to Mongolia, are implementing community service projects during the 20th Annual Global Youth Service Day (GYSD).

Young volunteers will address important community needs through service and service-learning projects addressing climate change, literacy, poverty, human rights and many other issues.

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Kites depicting ‘Nini’, one of the five Beijing Olympic Games mascots, decorated the sky of Haidian Park in Beijing, where kite flying activity with the theme of protecting Beijing swifts was held on 19 April. Many Chinese and international volunteers who have registered to be Beijing swift protectors participated in the activity with their families.  Read article

Beijing, China: The Beijing Olympic Games is apparently not only an opportunity for athletes. It is and will be an impetus for the development of volunteerism in China.   Visit site