“I see a lot of NGO organizations who use logo to show their spirit. What I think about International WorkCamp is a universal family – the people – who are willing to change themselves, consider deeply about the future of human society, and embrace the world kindly….”
“On behalf of SJ Vietnam, I am very proud of getting Volunteer Award which is the first time given in Vietnam for the most outstanding voluntary organizations who have made great contributions for community development in Vietnam. The award is more precious for us as we have celebrated 10th anniversary of International Year of Volunteers with lots of workcamps and projects during 2011″.
Today countries around the world, the UN General Assembly and Volunteers For Peace (VFP) are celebrating International Volunteer Day and the International Year of the Volunteer +10! Volunteering empowers people to take an active role in our world, provides opportunities to address social and economic challenges in a tangible way, and enhances international understanding and cooperation between people. Today we thank all who volunteer in their local communities and around the world. Together we are building a brighter and more peaceful world.
Watch VFP President/CEO Meg Brook on local Vermont TV program “Near & Far” discuss VFP’s work in Haiti!
http://www.cctv.org/watch-tv/programs/host-richard-kemp-and-meg-brook-volunteers-peace
Read this amazing article about VFP volunteer Paul Viko in Japan:
http://www.addisonindependent.com/201110cornwall-man-helps-japan
“Viko, 81, returned on Oct. 16 after spending almost a month volunteering in various tsunami recovery efforts in Japan, the landscape of which continues to be strewn with the rubble of buildings, roads and bridges torn apart following an 8.9-maginitude tremor and resulting tsunami that overwhelmed the nation on March 11.”
This past Saturday was the John Dewey/Halloween parade in Burlington. The Peace Dove was completed just in time by an impressive amount of volunteers for the parade. Being an intern I have had the opportunity over the last month to help build and watch the progress of the bird.
This year is a very special year as it it is the European Year of Volunteering (EYV) and the tenth anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers (IYV+10) from 2001. During September 7-11 the second Youth Convention on Volunteering took place in the European Parliament as well as the Esplanade of the European Parliament in Brussels. Those five days were devoted to conferences, seminars, workshops, concerts, art performances, and exhibitions.
This week the International FORUM on Development Service (FORUM) and VSO Jitolee, is hosting the annual International Volunteer Cooperation Organizations (IVCO) conference in Mombasa, Kenya. The conference begins October 9 through the 12th. The theme this year is about ‘Valuing Volunteering’.
On October 9, 2011, VFP will be hosting the VFP.org Peace Action Conference in Ossining, NY. Don’t miss Meg Brook, VFP’s executive director, who will be speaking about 30 years of building peace through international voluntary service. Various teach-ins and panel discussions will explore topics from environmental activism to the Constitution, and the keynote address will be given by Keith McHenry, co-founder of Food Not Bombs.
This summer, Volunteers For Peace in conjunction with Four Years Go (www.fouryearsgo.org) asked all US workcamps to participate and contribute to our sustainability initiative. As a group and as individuals, international volunteers asked themselves:
What is your next step in the journey to re-invent the planet?
Volunteers For Peace, Inc., 7 Kilburn Street, Suite 316, Burlington, Vermont 05401, USA
Telephone: 802-540-3060 | Email: infoREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@vfp.org
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