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AVI & IYV+10 working together - strengthening sustainable partnerships beyond 2011

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05 January 2011
AVI & IYV+10 working together - strengthening sustainable partnerships beyond 2011

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers (IYV) 2001.

Image: AVI volunteer Lindsay Alexander (centre) on assignment in Cambodia. Photo: Anthony Plummer.

The UN General Assembly, in its 2008 resolution, called for the marking of IYV+10 at regional and national levels. While the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) program is the focal point for the marking of IYV+10, Australian Volunteers International (AVI) is getting right behind this opportunity to globally recognise the contribution of volunteerism to society and to achieving peace and development.

IYV+10 provides an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the will, positive energy and innovation of millions of people around the world devoted to human development and human rights through a multitude of volunteering initiatives.

IYV+10 logoAVI is part of a global volunteer coalition working towards this enabling environment.

Annually, the volunteer sector contributes US$400 billion to the global economy, according to the Johns Hopkins Centre for Civil Society Studies.

"2011 isn't a year that starts and stops, it is an opportunity to solidify a long-standing partnership between UNV and civil society and plant the seeds of a new volunteering paradigm", said Naheed Haque, UNV Deputy Executive Coordinator, at an IYV+10 Working Group meeting held in October 2009 at UNV Headquarters in Bonn, Germany.

2011 also marks AVI's 60th birthday

This year also marks AVI's 60th birthday, marking when Herb Feith, the first Australian volunteer, left for Indonesia. Since 1951, more than 7500 Australians have lived, worked and learned in developing countries with AVI.

In the past five years alone, AVI has supported 842 volunteers with 542 in-country partners.

With 60 years experience, AVI deploys skilled volunteers overseas to help reduce poverty and build the capacity of local organisations with partners ranging from relief agencies, non-government organisations, hospitals, schools and governments in Asia, the Pacific, Africa and the Middle East.

AusAID, the Australian Government's overseas aid program is proud to provide significant support for Australian Volunteers who work in a development capacity overseas.

During 2011, volunteers and supporters are encouraged to engage with the activities offered by AVI in its 60th year and IYV+10 to promote volunteering.

Find out more

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