Celebration of the International Volunteer Day

Good morning,

H.E Mr. Bounta Thepphavong, Deputy Secretary General of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union

Distinguished Guests

Volunteers

Ladies and Gentlemen

It is a great pleasure to welcome you all to the Celebration of the International Volunteer Day 2021.

Every year the International Volunteer Day, mandated by the United Nations General Assembly, is held on the 5th of December with an aim to recognize the significant social role played by volunteers and their organizations, to share their values, to promote their works and to celebrate their achievements and contributions to peace and development. The International Volunteer Day is an important day for us to acknowledge and appreciate the dedicated efforts of volunteers working around the world. It is the day to showcase how volunteers make a difference.

In Lao PDR as well as in other places, volunteers are often found to be the first to act in moments of crisis and they tend to be at the forefront to respond to emergency needs. During the Covid -19 pandemic, despite the risks, many volunteers have dedicated their time and effort to support the role out of the national vaccination campaign, the management of the immigration borders and the organization of the quarantine centers. During the natural disasters, volunteers were amongst the first to bring assistance to the marginalized and vulnerable groups of people. These are just a few examples of the tireless works that volunteers have done to contribute to their communities and society.

Volunteerism connects people. It encourages people participation. It enables people to work together and to take an active part in tackling development challenges and shaping their community. With the diverse and dynamic role, volunteers are recognized as an important means of implementing the plan of action of the 2030 agenda and they are a powerful force in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

With this important acknowledgement it is crucial that this role for volunteers is realized, and their impact is maximized. Therefore, working to raise awareness of the importance of volunteering is necessary. It is also significant to create an environment that supports, promotes, values and encourages effective volunteering.

The theme for the International Volunteer Day this year, “Volunteer now for our common future”, calls for people to take an action together. The objective of the theme is to recognize and support the spirit of volunteerism to help create a better future. By volunteering, people take action to improve their lives and the lives of those around them. When people are inspired and encouraged to get involved in solving problems, the solutions are more likely to be feasible and lasting. When volunteers engage with the community, it helps to build an active movement and influences the others. Recognizing, encouraging, and supporting volunteerism are essential for a more just future for all. 

This year also marks the 50th Anniversary of UNV in their effort to advocate for volunteerism and provide opportunity for people to engage in peace building and development work through volunteerism. Since the inception, this year UNV has the highest number (10,000) of UN Volunteers working to support peace and development in 159 countries.

I would like to express my gratitude to the Lao Youth Union for organizing a number of joint events for the celebration of the International Volunteer Day. I would also like to express my appreciation to development partners and volunteers who have taken part in contributing to this joint celebration.

Please enjoy this celebration. I look forward to learning more from the presentation today of how volunteer make a difference in their communities and how they can play an active part in shaping a brighter future.

Thank you!