BONN, 17 June 2002 -- A two-day consultation of experts on volunteerism representing governments, international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the United Nations system wrapped up Friday with a call for a centralized information "clearinghouse" on voluntary action in the wake of the UN International Year of Volunteers 2001 (IYV).

Meeting at the headquarters of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) in Bonn, representatives from 18 countries said the efforts to mobilize volunteer organizations in more than 120 nations last year should continue through the activities of governments, the United Nations and civil society.

Among recommendations to support volunteerism globally, participants noted a need to collect data on volunteerism and to monitor the state of volunteerism in countries around the world. To help keep abreast of changes within the world of volunteering, they also suggested compiling a volunteer monitoring "toolkit" and an annual "state of volunteering" report.

According to a report from the consultations, there was consensus on the need for "strategic organization, alliances, joint leadership, partnerships and positioning on volunteering at global, regional and national levels which would augment and support the spontaneous, vibrant, 'bottom-up' nature of volunteering which is the expression of a natural desire to reach out to others".

Participants came from Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Mozambique, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom and Zambia. Representatives of CIVICUS, the European Union, the International Association for Volunteer Effort (IAVE), the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UNV and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) also took part.

UNV is the volunteer arm of the UN system. It extends hands-on assistance for peace and development in 140 countries. Created by the UN General Assembly in 1970 and administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UNV works through UNDP country offices to send volunteers-two-thirds of them from developing countries-and promote the ideals of volunteerism around the world.

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For more information, contact:
Richard Nyberg; tel: (49 228) 815 2223; email: richard.nyberg@unvolunteers.org