In a move initiated by Kazakhstan, the United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution designating 2026 as the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development, TuraNews.kz reports.
President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev announced the initiative to declare the International Year of Volunteers during the general political debates of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly in 2020. Kazakhstan, alongside like-minded countries such as Armenia, Bolivia, Germany, Kenya, and Kiribati, put forward this resolution, with the co-authorship of 54 UN member states.
Events within the framework of the International Year are expected to significantly boost the volunteer movement at the national, regional, and global levels. Additionally, they will contribute to the further strengthening of international cooperation in the field of volunteerism and help determine key directions for its future development.
President Tokayev places special emphasis on the development of volunteerism in Kazakhstan, considering it a crucial component of building a Just Kazakhstan. He sees volunteers as true patriots who prioritize moral values and play an exceptional role in fortifying the reliable partnership between the state and society. The President has highlighted the importance of instilling qualities like selflessness and compassion, inherent to the Kazakh people, in the younger generation.
In line with the Head of State’s initiative, Kazakhstan declared 2020 the Year of the Volunteer and adopted the Roadmap for the Development of Volunteering in Kazakhstan for 2021-2023. These measures have led to an increase in the number of volunteers in the country to 200 thousand people, with Kazakh youth serving as UN volunteers worldwide.
The International Forum of Volunteers took place in Astana on July 20-21, 2023, with the participation of the Head of State, high-ranking UN representatives, and volunteers from over 30 countries, highlighting Kazakhstan’s significant role in the global volunteer movement.
