The International Symposium on Volunteering
Geneva, 18–21 November 2001
“Human Volunteerism as a new way of pushing economic development.”
Reviewing the International Year of Volunteers
From 18 to 21 November 2001, over 430 volunteers from 117 countries gathered at the International Conference Center of Geneva (CCIG), Switzerland, to review the activities of the International Year of Volunteers (IYV 2001). The Symposium set out to present and highlight the results of IYV, to share best practices, and to recommend steps for future action beyond 2001.
Its sessions covered the economy of volunteering, the role of women volunteers, volunteer management, policies and legislation, volunteer web sites, social marketing, volunteer research, and poverty alleviation. The Symposium was organized by the International Symposium Association and the International Conference Volunteers, with financial support from the Swiss Government, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the Canton and City of Geneva, and the Government of Japan.
The Symposium in figures
- 430+volunteers gathered in Geneva to review IYV 2001.
- 117countries represented at the International Conference Center of Geneva.
- 27workshops and discussion sessions on Tuesday 20 November alone.
- 98countries represented in the statement to the 56th UN General Assembly.
Volunteer Capital
Tuesday 20 November was dedicated to sharing good practices from IYV 2001. In his opening remarks that day, Alfredo Sfeir-Younis, then the World Bank’s Special Representative to the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, noted that “Volunteer Capital” is perhaps more important than other forms of capital participating in the development process.
Volunteer capital is defined as the social contribution made to societies by volunteers.
“Human Volunteerism as a new way of pushing economic development.”
He was among the special guests of the Symposium:
- H.R.H. Crown Prince Felipe de Asturias of Spain, IYV Eminent Person
- Dr. Nafis Sadik, former Executive Director of the UNFPA and IYV Eminent Person
- Alfredo Sfeir-Younis, Special Representative to the UN and the World Trade Organization (WTO) for the World Bank
- Kumi Naidoo, Secretary General and CEO of CIVICUS, World Alliance for Citizen Participation
- Ambassador Walter Fust, Director of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
- Ibrahim Osman, Director of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
- Sharon Capeling-Alakija, Executive Coordinator of the UN Volunteers programme (UNV)
Four days in Geneva
Sunday 18 November
Preparation
- To prepare contributions of specific groups for the Symposium.
- Pre-Symposium workshops for young persons, older persons and webmasters.
Monday 19 November
Results
- To present IYV 2001 and highlight its results.
- Opening remarks by H.R.H. Crown Prince Felipe of Spain on quality volunteering.
Tuesday 20 November
Good practices
- To share good practices from IYV 2001.
- 27 workshops and discussion sessions, opened by Alfredo Sfeir-Younis.
Wednesday 21 November
The way forward
- To establish recommendations on how to move forward after IYV 2001.
- A statement drafted for the 56th session of the UN General Assembly.
Read the original coverage (opens in a new tab)“IYV is already a milestone in the history of volunteering it must also be a stepping-stone to the future.”
Source: Team IYV, Global Update, 30 December 2001. © United Nations Volunteers.