Volunteerism fosters peace, global prosperity, UN official says

Volunteerism helps build a peaceful society and a prosperous planet for all, said Shalina Miah, Asia-Pacific regional office manager of United Nations Volunteers.

Miah, who is attending the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations, said volunteerism and the desire to help others is a human-centered approach based on solidarity, inclusion, community service, dedication and compassion, and volunteering benefits both individuals and society, as well as the whole world.

"I'm glad to be part of the conference. ... I also want to promote volunteerism and the importance of youth engaging as volunteers to be actors of change for a better world and to contribute to the well-being of people and the planet, and to ensure prosperity," she said in written answers to questions.

"Through volunteering, individuals give their time and share their knowledge, and in return deepen their skill sets and acquire new ones. More important, they contribute to the efforts for a peaceful society, a stronger partnership and a prosperous planet for all."

UN Volunteers, which is under the administration of the United Nations Development Programme, contributes to peace and development worldwide.

The Asia-Pacific region has more than 700 million young people, accounting for 60 percent of the world's youth population.

"They're often the first to come up with innovative solutions to the world's most pressing issues. Their energy and creativity are a driving force for peace and development. ... By encouraging young people to become volunteers, we encourage them to become part of the development process and accelerators of the development agenda," she said.

UN Volunteers has nurtured "an active and fruitful" partnership with China since it began operations in the country in 1981. A flagship partnership with China was established to strengthen the capacity of volunteer organizations during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games through the training of 8,200 volunteers and volunteer managers through high-level expertise from China and abroad, Miah said.

Since 2015, the organization's focus in China has been supporting volunteer engagement for sustainable development. As the 2022 Winter Olympic Games approaches, UN Volunteers will work closely with Chinese partners on building volunteer capacity for the games, she added.

Miah said that the value of volunteering has been increasingly accepted by the government, society and the private sector in China.

A volunteering ecosystem has developed, as a series of related agencies, policies and regulations have been carried out at the governmental level. Meanwhile, many new NGOs that rely on and promote volunteerism have been established, she said.

Over recent decades, 388 Chinese have served as members of UN Volunteers at UN agencies around the world. Among them, about 300 have worked across China to advance the country's sustainable development goals. Currently, 40 are working at UN agencies in China in areas ranging from poverty reduction to gender equality, she said.