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international volunteer day
In 1985, the United Nations General Assembly decreed December 5th, as the International Volunteer day (DIV) for Economic and Social Development.
Subsequently, other related proposals have increased the interest and participation in this area. In 1997, the year 2001 was designated the International Volunteer year (AIV), an initiative approved by 123 countries. The number of countries taking part in celebrating DIV increases every year, since there were 69 in 1996, the number of countries in 2003 rose to 125.
By joining in the celebration for the volunteer day, the work of many people who contribute in a voluntary and altruistic way towards the improvement of their surroundings, is officially recognised. In order to generate a common conscience that helps us to get involved in the sustainable and equal development of the world, it is important to assume the capacity to act and transform which, individually or colectively, we can all take.
In accordance to the Millenium Summit, organised in September 2000 by the United Nations, freedom, countries and individuals’ equality, solidarity, tolerance, respect towards nature and common responsibility are the 6 fundamental values that must characterize the XXI century.
All over the world the work of volunteers is related to these 6 values, as these are the people who work to serve others and to transform society in order to benefit everybody.
2010 international volunteer day manifesto
On December 5th, 2010, International Volunteer day, the Spain Volunteering Platform formed by 81 local and regional volunteering bodies and platforms, wants to manifest:
1-During 2010, European year for Social Exclusion and Fight against Poverty, an importart effort has been made to report and visualise the structural problems causing poverty in our country. During the upcoming European Volunteer Year, we must continue to work to demand urgent measures to stop the exclusion problems suffered by our society.
2- In the same way, during next year 2011, we demand the recognition of the volunteer action as a social change agent (to volunteer is to want to change the world, and to make it).
3- Volunteering has a critical component, to propose and report the social problems, which must be empowered by the volunteer people organisations. By joining our demands to bring to light the existing problems and inequality situations, the social influence level will begin to increase and we’ll reach our objective to achieve a fairer society.
4-During 2011, European Volunteer year, from the volunteering promoting organisations, we demand awareness campaigns and training which give a contribution to all citizens in this country, so they can compromise with solidarity causes, creating a civil participation and social construction exercise.
5- Volunteering promotion and awareness work from the organisations is fundamental, to enlighten the reality of the voluntary work as a vital, civic, participative and socially responsible attitude.
6- Social Action’s Third Sector organisations play an important part in defining social politics, they are close to the problems and they know what measures need to be taken to tackle this problem, which makes this sector essential in the politics for inclusion from the government.
7-We must continue to develop spaces for participation, where social change proposals arise from volunteering, and which must be used as an essential tool towards building politics for total inclusion.
8-We must create sinergies and work together with other webs and platforms which represent the civil society to complete a social network, and in this way, establish shared strategic objectives towards the social change.
9-Volunteering is an attitudee of commitment with society, with people who are in lower conditions and in disadvantaged situations. These values must be placed on top at the time of taking measures and actions in the frame of European Volunteer Year 2011.
