Spirit of volunteerism blooms at IAVE World Conference in Singapore

The 21st IAVE World Volunteer Conference opened at the Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore on Monday, January 24. The guest of honor, the President of Singapore S R Nathan, was welcomed into the auditorium by a total of 1,000 people from all regions of the world who registered for the conference.

Tan Chee Koon, the chair of the organizing committee, welcomed the delegates, and recalled the IAVE Volunteer Conference in a cold Amsterdam exactly ten years ago, which opened the UN International Year of Volunteers (IYV) in 2001. Now, ten years later in sunny and warm Singapore, the tenth anniversary of IYV, the IAVE conference was taking place in the Asia region. Chee Koon remembered how she took on the “crazy” decision to chair the organizing committee to host the conference. Ten years ago, very few of the conference speakers were Asian, but this time, Chee Koon said, she was proud over 80% of the delegates were from the region.

The theme of the World Conference is a serious one, taking discussion to a higher level, while focusing on leadership, strategic partnerships, and positioning volunteers where they can “change the world”.

Flavier Pansieri, the executive coordinator of UNV, wished IAVE and her own organization a happy 40th birthday, hoping that if “life begins at 40” the two organizations would have plenty to work on together in the year to come. Ten years ago, as the coordinating organization for IYV, the UNV identified recognition, facilitation, networking and promotion as the four pillars of volunteering. Flavier said volunteering was an important contributing-factor to continued access to services, especially as budgets were cut. Some terminology such as “big society”, “new social contract” and so on, see citizens not just as recipients but providers of services. On the one hand, this was a good thing, she said, because it recognized the positive contribution people can bring to society. On the other hand, volunteering should not be seen as a replacement to government services, but as an additional resource.

Volunteering and well-being

Flavier said when social bonds between people are often neglected or weakened, volunteerism can link people together again - especially across different backgrounds and origins. So voluntary action is not just supportive of social services, but builds social capital and supports social cohesion. This aspect is very difficult to measure, which means the way a country’s performance is measured needs to be revised - indeed, she said, many countries are expanding their indicators to include social engagement and other elements of “well-being”, so that GDP is measure in human outcomes as well as economic indicators. The sense of connectedness that comes from playing an active role in our environment builds individuals well-being, and contributes to the well-being of society. Flavier said volunteering adds value to society.

As we move towards Rio+20 in 2012, the issue of volunteering and sustainability will be looked at, including the attitudes and values that society cherishes, and the chance to live in a world that is prosperous and peaceful, as well as being sustainable. Flavier announced that the UNV’s State of the World Report, to be released on December 5, 2011, will document the contributions of volunteering to society. The UNV coordinator urged governments not to cut social services, and indeed expand them.

Flavier added that volunteering should be open to everyone, underlining that volunteering does not come for free. While informal volunteering is import, it needs to be supported by an institutional structure.

Turing to the MDGs, Flavier admitted that the world was falling short of the targets, which could nevertheless still be met. She urged the IAVE conference to be a strong voice to call on governments not to ignore the MDGs, and asked volunteers to unleash their power to make a difference to the world they live in. Flavier concluded by asking individual volunteers, as they celebrate the tenth anniversary of IYV, to take the chance to engage constructively in creating a better future for all.

Past to the future

Dr. Kang-Hyun Lee, president of IAVE, recalled that in 1969, 22 women got together with a common vision that volunteering could unite people across cultures. From the first world conference in 1970, with less than 40 participants, IAVE has remained a volunteer-led network. Dr. Lee gave a special mention to one of the participants at that first event, Mrs. Kazuko Kagami, who was at the conference today.

Looking to the future, Dr. Lee mentioned some upcoming events, including the 2nd Youth Summit will be held in Colombia in November this year, and the 22nd World Volunteer Conference in Dublin in 2012.

Recalling the Universal Declaration on Volunteering, Dr. Lee said in Amsterdam, IAVE called on volunteer centers to become the primary leaders of volunteering, governments to support volunteering, corporations to encourage their employees to volunteer, the media to report on volunteers and provide information, and encouraged individuals of all ages to volunteer.

Dr. Lee also mentioned the MDGs, and challenged volunteers to continue to support the Universal Declaration together with IAVE to continue its effort is convening opportunities through world, regional and youth conferences. Dr. Lee said the world you believe in, believes in you: as you become proud of the world the world will be proud of you. Finally, Dr. Lee encouraged everyone to enjoy the conference as they enjoy volunteering.

Spirit of volunteerism blooms

Dr. Lee and Mrs. Kagami rang the bell to officially open the IAVE conference. The flags of all the attending nations and regions were then paraded through the conference hall by local girl guides.

Local pop-star and singer at the Youth Olympics, Erick Guansing, got everyone clapping along with a catchy tune called “I Wish” that morphed into U2’s “One Love”.

The “epidendrum” spirit of volunteerism orchid, the flower of the conference, was then unveiled. Some stamps covers, designed by children, were presented to President Nathan and other distinguished guests. The opening ceremony concluded with a lion dance.  

The conference is organized by IAVE and NVPC; in partnership with UBS, YMCA; support from MCYS, NCSS, Singapore Exhibition and Convention Bureau, SMU; and sponsorship from Standard Charter, UPS, Vale, the Shaw Foundation, Smart, Resort World, the Lee Foundation, Samsung, State Street, and Kraft Foods.