Statement from the Executive Director of UN Volunteers

This year the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme celebrates International Volunteer Day (IVD) on 5 December with the theme ‘Volunteering for our Planet’. UNV wants to highlight how important it is for people everywhere to get involved as volunteers in finding solutions to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

IVD is celebratedtwo days before the start of the United Nations Conference in Copenhagen which will discuss, and hopefully agree on, collective action to address Climate Change. We encourage everyone to volunteer for our planet in support of the United Nations campaign to Seal the Deal on a Climate Change agreement.

Volunteers played an important role in the environmental movement from its very beginning. They recognized that individual and collective action based on free will was necessary to raise awareness about environmental action and spur governments to action.

I encourage all people and organizations to celebrate International Volunteer Day and to support Volunteering for our Planet. Please go to www.VolunteeringForOurPlanet.org and tell us how you contribute voluntarily to protecting our planet. We are tracking how many hours volunteers contribute worldwide; they will send a powerful message to delegates in Copenhagen that committed citizens, everywhere, support a climate change agreement and people are taking action as volunteers to be a part of the solution.