IVD Celebrations in Jordan

Press release:  United Nations Volunteers Programme, Amman Jordan.
 

Volunteerism should become an Integral Part of the New Development Consensus

There is an urgent need to measure volunteerism in order to include it among the greatest assets of nations, says a United Nations report

Bonn, 5 December 2011 (United Nations Volunteers) - The first United Nations State of the World’s Volunteerism Report (SWVR) published today calls for making volunteer action an integral part of the new development consensus.

The report was launched at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States, and many countries around the world including Jordan, coinciding with the marking of International Volunteer Day at the National Gallery of Fine Art and the closure of the tenth anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers.

Following recommendations of United Nations Member States in their 2010 review of progress towards meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015, the SWVR shows that volunteerism is an effective way to implement community-led strategies. While it is clear that major efforts are needed to achieve the MDGs, there is also growing recognition that the current development paradigm, based on economic development and access to services, is severely limited. The dimension of well-being, putting people’s life satisfaction at the centre, needs more attention.

Concern is growing regarding the effectiveness of development cooperation. The focus needs to switch from the processes and coordination of aid to the downstream outcomes and impacts of those processes. The report highlights that it is necessary to understand the role and contributions of volunteerism in order to incorporate this vital asset into the development agenda.

In addition launching the global report, The United Nations Volunteers in Jordan coordinated local International Volunteer Day activities at an UNRWA school in Hay Nazal last week. The initiative focused on communicating the value of volunteerism through hands-on and interactive activities between volunteers and students.  These activities were supported and implemented by local partners and volunteer involving organizations including the Princess Basma Youth Resource Center, Ruwwad, Kitabi Kitabk, JICA and Dafa theatre, all of whom are leading examples of how volunteering matters to local communities in Jordan.

2009 - Volunteering for our Environment

As the theme for international volunteer day 2009 was “Volunteering for our Environment” it was unanimously decided (between volunteers, partners and organizers) that hands-on voluntary activities that benefitted the environment would be a fitting way to pay tribute to volunteers in Jordan for IVD, while being part of the global environmental protection movement. Linking our local efforts with global initiatives and thusly becoming part of a greater movement focused on environmental protection was an obvious source of pride for all involved.

In partnership with Entity Green, Princess Basma Youth Resource Center and UNV organized two days of recycling workshops on December 4th and 5th. The workshops involved a morning of training conducted by representatives from Entity Green who educated the participants about ways that they could easily recycle everyday household items that too often end up in the trash in the absence of a municipal recycling collection service. In the weeks prior to the workshop UNV and Entity Green set up two recycling collection points at PBYRC where anyone could come and drop off their recyclable materials. Some of these products were used during the workshops with the rest being transported to a recycling company.

The first afternoon and second day of the workshops were dedicated to turning trash into art. Entity Green again explained various methods by which trash can be recycled through artistic projects. The entire activity was filmed and later turned into a documentary entitled “Trash to Art.” The documentary featured the work of the volunteers while conveying the message that individuals can and must recycle, and do not have to rely completely on municipal collection.

The results of the trash to art workshop were then displayed in an exposition during the IVD ceremony on the 14th. Volunteers who participated in the workshops were given the opportunity to lead HRH Princess Basma bint Talal and Mr.Luc Stevens (United Nations RC in Jordan) around the projects on display explaining the concept behind the recycling workshops and the concept behind “trash to art.”
 

2008

With the slogan “Hand in Hand for a Better Life”, the International Volunteer Day (IVD) was celebrated today in Jordan under the patronage of HRH Princess Basma bint Talal.

Facilitated by the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme in cooperation with the International Volunteer Day (IVD) 2008 National Steering Committee, Jordan’s event included several activities demonstrating the importance of volunteerism and promoting volunteerism around the Kingdom.

For more information, please visit:
http://www.undp-jordan.org/Default.aspx?tabid=78&mid=413&newsid413=210&

2002

In Jordan, the strength of this voice has led to successful volunteer programs before and after the introduction of the International Year of Volunteers (IYV). The main activities of the IYV 2001 were the workshops entitled Voluntary Work, Issues and Challenges (June 7, 2001) and Volunteerism and the Facilitation of Volunteer Work in Jordan (October 8, 2001). The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) launched these activities with the collaboration of the Ministries of Planning, Social Development, and Youth, the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development (JOHUD),  the General Union for Voluntary Societies (GUVS), the University of Jordan, the United Nations Children"s Fund (UNICEF), and UN Resident Coordination Unit.
The Campaign: Jordan First! From Heart to Hands

For more information, please visit:
http://www.worldvolunteerweb.org/int-l-volunteer-day/ivd-campaign-news/doc/jordan-ivd-preparations-from.html