International Day of Peace 2022

The Youth Community Leadership Initiative (YCLI), a joint programme of the National Youth Services Council (NYSC), in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Volunteers (UNV) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka came together to commemorate the International Day of Peace with the participation of over 500 young people from across Sri Lanka came together for the 3-day event showcasing a wide variety of activities.

UNV50 Country Awards in Sri Lanka

The United Nations Volunteers golden anniversary celebration culminated in a spectacular, ‘UNV50 Country Awards’ in Sri Lanka on the 7th December 2021 at the Galle Face Hotel in Colombo. With the dignitaries representing the Government, UN Agencies, Academia, Corporate/Private sector, Civil Society and Volunteer Involving Organizations (VIOs). UNV recognized fifty organisations and individuals making noteworthy contributions to the country through volunteerism.

The Global Cultural Jamboree

UNV Sri Lanka partnered with the Scouts supporting the Global Cultural Jamboree with a participation of over 20,000 Scouts from around the world. UNV coordinated seven knowledge sharing sessions in collaboration with UNDP, WHO, UNICEF and UN Women presenting the importance of the SDGs and promoting volunteers as a catalyst in accelerating the achievement of the 2030 Agenda. With over a 45,000 viewership at the conclusion, the event was deemed a success with the launching of the first-ever virtual “Community Volunteer Center” aligned with the Scout’s Better World Framework to initiate volunteering activities that actively engage scouts in the promotion of social cohesion and fostering youth empowerment.

‘TOGETHER AT HOME’

National Youth Volunteer Week

The ‘Together at Home’ campaign was launched marking the National Youth Day on 23 May 2021. The campaign was designed to inspire young people, to initiate a series of volunteering activities together with family and close associates promoting ‘Volunteering at Home’ during the lockdown. This had five thematic areas and was conducted in partnership with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the National Youth Services Council (NYSC), WHO, UNDP, Sri Lanka Scouts and AIESEC. The campaign spanned over three weeks from 16 May to 15 June 2021, encouraging people to adhere to travel restrictions and remain at home.

International Volunteers Day

International Volunteers Day (IVD), is an international observance that was mandated by the UN General Assembly in 1985. The Day is an opportunity for us all to promote volunteerism, encourage governments to support volunteer efforts and recognize volunteer contributions to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at local, national and international levels.