Have you been or are you a volunteer, or maybe you are considering becoming a volunteer – either way it is worth noting that Sunday December 5^th is ‘International Volunteer Day’.

In the run up to International Volunteer Day 2010 you are invited to an online ‘festival’ of volunteering organised by the United Nations Volunteer programme. The ‘festival’ will provide volunteers with the opportunity to share the stories of the work they have done with the rest of the world, around the world. To get involved in this project visit http://www.unv.org/en/news-resources/news/doc/media-release-united-nations.html

‘International Volunteer Day’ was established by the United Nations in 1985, and it is a chance to recognise the contribution of volunteers, and since the turn of the century, their role in helping to meet the Millennium Development Goals.

The Millennium Development Goals were established by world leaders in 2000, and 189 nations agreed that they had the resources and political will to:

       Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

       Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education

       Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women

       Goal 4: Reduce child mortality

       Goal 5: Improve maternal health

       Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

       Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability

       Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development                            

The aim is that these eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) will be achieved by 2015 and volunteers around the world are crucial to achieving this aim. 

At this time of year when many of us are focussing on ourselves and our families, it is easy to forget that there are millions of people in the world who may have very little to celebrate, and that perhaps we could give a ‘present’ to them which could go some small way to helping their life take a turn for the better.

By volunteering abroad, or at home, you could be helping towards creating a world where human development reaches everyone, everywhere, which is the world that the United Nations envisaged when the MDGs where formulated.

Take up your invitation, take part in the festival and let December 5^th be the day you think about volunteering.