главная страница	Международная Конференция по Добровольческому Служению. Китай, Беджинг (BEIJING)

News Release

http://www.iyv2001.org/infobase/press/02_05_28CHN_un.htm

BEIJING DECLARATION HIGHLIGHTS VALUE OF VOLUNTARY ACTION IN MEETING
DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES

BEIJING, China, 28 May 2002 - Experts on volunteering from 26 countries
Tuesday called on governments and the United Nations to encourage the use
of voluntary action "in addressing the full range of development
challenges".

"We, delegates from all over the world, wish to see governments and the UN
system enhance significantly an environment favourable for volunteering
globally," the 150 participants at the International Conference on
Voluntary Service stated in a final document -- the Beijing Declaration.

The declaration also urged United Nations bodies to continue to review
volunteer action through established mechanisms including the Economic and
Social Council (ECOSOC), the Commission for Social Development and other
UN fora. It also called on "individuals and organizations, involved in
volunteer activity, to network and collaborate on initiatives that promote
civic participation".

Addressing the delegates, China State Councillor Wu Yi noted the
"international society's strong desire to promote voluntary service",
including efforts in support of world peace and development. The official
highlighted the role of young volunteers. "The extensive participation of
young people can bring about the vitality and vigor for the sustainable
development of voluntary service."

The two-day conference was held five months after the close of the UN
International Year of Volunteers (IYV 2001), which culminated in a UN
General Assembly resolution, "Recommendations on support for volunteering"
(A/RES/56/38).

"This international conference on voluntary service organized by China is
an important milestone toward establishing concrete follow-up actions to
that GA resolution," said Sharon Capeling-Alakija, Executive Coordinator
of the United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV). "In this context, we
trust that the cooperation between China and UNV in the promotion of
volunteerism will be more focused and enhanced by [Chinese] nationals
serving as UN Volunteers both here in China and abroad."

Panelists at workshops on the recognition, facilitation and promotion of
volunteering included government officials, media representatives,
researchers, civil society representatives and United Nations officials.
Other guests attending the conference included Shi Guangsheng, the
Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (MOFTEC), and Sun
Yongfu, Director General of the China International Economic and Technical
Exchange Centre (CICETE), the government programme for economic and social
development. Conference organizers included the China National IYV
Committee and MOFTEC.

Based in Bonn, Germany, 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 information about the conference, visit: http://www.civa.org.cn
For information on post-IYV 2001 activities, visit: http://www.iyv2001.org

Media contacts:
Li Dan, tel: (86) 106 532 3731 ext. 244; email: dan.li@undp.org
Natasha Mistry, tel: (49 228) 815 2254; email:
natasha.mistry@unvolunteers.org

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TEAM IYV CONTACT INFORMATION

Team IYV 2001
External Relations Group
United Nations Volunteers
Postfach 260 111
D-53153 Bonn
Germany

Tel: (49 228) 815 2000
Fax: (49 228) 815 2959
URL: http://www.iyv2001.org
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