International Volunteer Day: celebrating people who change the world!

International Volunteer Day has been celebrated around the world since 1985. The celebration takes place annually on December 5 and was established by the United Nations (UN) with the intention of promoting voluntary action in all spheres of society.

On this very special day, we pay tribute to more than 1 billion people who contribute their time and skills to creating a better, safer, more supportive and peaceful world.

More than just a date, the moment serves as a reminder of the importance of volunteering, both in the lives of those who receive and those who carry out voluntary actions.

About the history of volunteering:

The origins of volunteering are intertwined with life in society itself, dating back to the dawn of humanity. Authors such as Natalio Kisnerman, in his book “Introduction to Social Work”, reinforce this idea by defining social work as man's interest in his fellow man.

One of the milestones in the history of volunteering took place in 2000, when 189 countries came together for the Millennium Declaration, seeking to make a commitment to work together.  As a result, the UN decided that 2001 would be the International Year of Volunteering. All this culminated in another important event in 2015: the establishment of Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the UN. 

The concerns that give rise to volunteering have always been on the agenda. However, without the stimulus of the movement, the road to achieving a more prosperous and egalitarian world would certainly be much more arduous, since actions can take place in a variety of ways.

And so change moves from paper to practice. After all, combining imagination with an attentive eye for the needs of the community opens up a wide range of possibilities. In addition, the volunteer experience involves a mutual exchange, in which the community is positively transformed and the volunteer is transformed too, with a sense of belonging and satisfaction at having done their bit.

To commemorate the date is to recognize the importance of each volunteer and, at the same time, to celebrate this international movement dedicated to human and sustainable development.

Congratulations, volunteer, on your day and for your dedication throughout the year! Your attitude sows a virtuous cycle that has an impact on the present and generates a harvest in the future. Your example inspires more people to join this network of good!

Por Pedro Benevenuto