The International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development (5 December), more commonly referred to as International Volunteer Day (IVD), is an international observance mandated by the UN General Assembly in 1985. It offers an opportunity for volunteer-involving organizations and individual volunteers to promote volunteerism, encourage governments to support volunteer efforts, and recognize volunteer contributions to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at local, national, and international levels. International Volunteer Day is marked and supported by the United Nations Volunteers (UNV). UNV coordinates a campaign to promote IVD every year.
Background
The International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly through Resolution A/RES/40/212 on 17 December 1985.
A look at United Nations Volunteers' International Volunteer Day Campaigns
IVD 2025 - "Every Contribution Matters"
IVD 2024 – For the International Volunteer Day 2024, United Nations Volunteers (UNV) demonstrates its commitment to communities and the wellbeing of UN Volunteers across the globe through concrete community volunteer activities carried out with national and UN system partners.
IVD 2023 – "If Everyone Did" centers on the power of collective action.
IVD 2022 – "Together, act now"
The theme for this IVD is solidarity though volunteering — "Together, act now". The value of volunteers will be celebrated and recognized. While the world grapples with humanitarian and development challenges — amid wars and climate change, we need volunteers to work together for the common good.
IVD 2021 – "Volunteer now for our common future"
IVD 2021 is focused on decision-makers more than in the past. It is important to integrate volunteers and the spirit of volunteerism into national and global implementation strategies to achieve the SDGs and build an inclusive world. By volunteering, people take action to improve their lives and the lives of those around them. Therefore, the theme for this year's campaign is "Volunteer now for our common future".
IVD 2020 – "Together We Can Through Volunteering"
IVD 2020 emphasized gratitude for volunteers and their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
IVD 2019 – "For an Inclusive Future"
IVD 2019 focused on the diversity of volunteers and how volunteers themselves contribute to inclusion.
IVD 2018 – "Volunteers build Resilient Communities"
IVD 2018 celebrated volunteer efforts that strengthen local ownership and the resilience of the community in the face of natural disasters, economic stresses and political shocks. The event on 5 December 2018 focused on how volunteers can build resilient communities.
IVD 2017 - "Volunteers Act First. Here. Everywhere."
The focus of IVD 2017 was to recognize the positive solidarity of volunteers around the world who answer calls in times of crisis, helping save lives today and supporting those who want to continue living their lives with dignity tomorrow.
IVD 2016 - "Global Applause – give volunteers a hand"
Under this theme, IVD presented a round of global applause to celebrate volunteers everywhere and encouraged others to join in and contribute to peace and sustainable development.
IVD 2015 - "Your world is changing. Are you? Volunteer!"
The goal of IVD 2015 was to start a dialogue about how volunteerism is vital to the success of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda.
IVD 2014 - "Make change happen, volunteer!"
The goal of IVD 2014 was to highlight the contribution of volunteers in engaging people from the grassroots in decision-making processes, ultimately creating spaces for participation that lead to stronger governance, social cohesion, peace and sustainable development.
IVD 2013 - "Young. Global. Active."
The goal of the event was to pay special tribute to the contribution of youth volunteers to global peace and sustainable human development, highlighting that young people act as agents of change in their communities.
IVD 2012 - "Celebrate volunteering"
The event celebrated its commitment and hope for a better world. The main focus of IVD 2012 was awareness of and recognition for volunteers and volunteer organizations.
A focus on partnership and development
Through the years, International Volunteer Day has been used strategically: many countries have focused on volunteers' contributions to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, a set of time-bound targets to combat poverty, hunger, disease, health, environmental degradation and gender equality.
International Volunteer Day (IVD) celebrates active volunteers and attracts new volunteers in the North and in the South, with a special focus on promoting South-South cooperation.
The organization of International Volunteer Day is generally the result of a partnership between the UN system, governments, volunteer-involving organizations and committed individuals. Representatives from the media or academia, foundations, the private sector, faith groups, and sports and recreational organizations are often involved too.
The General Assembly invited Governments to observe annually, on 5 December, the International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development (resolution 40/212 of 17 December 1985) and urged them to take measures to heighten awareness of the important contribution of volunteer service, thereby stimulating more people in all walks of life to offer their services as volunteers, both at home and abroad.
The United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution 52/17 of 20 November 1997, proclaimed 2001 as the International Year of Volunteers (IYV). The year was conceived to further the recognition of volunteers, facilitate their work, create a communication network and promote the benefits of voluntary service.
In 2001, the International Year of Volunteers, the General Assembly adopted a set of recommendations on ways in which Governments and the United Nations system could support volunteering and asked that they be given wide dissemination (resolution 56/38 of 5 December 2001).
The United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution 57/106 of 22 November 2002, called upon the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme to ensure that the potential of International Volunteer Day is fully realized.
On 18 December 2008, the General Assembly decided that on or around 5 December 2011, two plenary meetings of the sixty-sixth session of the General Assembly should be devoted to the follow-up to the International Year of Volunteers and the commemoration of its tenth anniversary (resolution 63/153).
Online Volunteering Award
Traditionally, on International Volunteer Day (5 December), UNV calls for nominations and launches the UNV Online Volunteering Award. A jury made up of UNV representatives and external experts in volunteerism and development cooperation review the nominations and selects the winners.
The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme invites citizens worldwide to be inspired by the winner's stories and participate in the global voting for their favorite winner. The team that gets the most votes is announced as the public's favorite on the International Day of Happiness.
The purpose of the award is to recognize online volunteers' contributions towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, to showcase the many ways in which online volunteers can strengthen the capacities of organizations, and demonstrate the difference volunteers can make to peace and development projects by sharing their time, skills and expertise over the Internet. +UNV Online Volunteering Award WinnersYear of the AwardWinnersPublic Favorite (If chosen)2002 Adedoyin Onasanya (Nigeria) - HORIZON International (USA) Angelica Hasbun (Costa Rica) - People with Disabilities Uganda (Uganda) Cynthia Holland (Canada) - Reach Out International (USA/Guatemala) Javier Wilson (Nicaragua) - Nile Basin Society (Canada) Joanne K. Morse (USA) - Christian Rural Aid Network (Ghana) Laurie Moy (USA) - People with Disabilities Uganda (Uganda) Natalya Korobeynyk (Ukraine) - Gardarika (Russian Federation) Paula Santos Vizcaino (Uruguay) - La Leche League International (USA) Terry Rosenlund (USA) - Kenya AIDS Intervention/Prevention Project Group (KAIPPG) (Kenya/USA) Yvonne Swain (USA) - Overcomers Visionary Faith Centre (Kenya) / Learning and Development Kenya (Kenya)2003 Anne-Catherine Yon (USA) - World Computer Exchange (USA) Deborah D'Amico (Canada) - People with Disabilities Uganda (Uganda) Kelly (Xiaodong) Zeng (China/USA) - Business Information Centre Straldja (Bulgaria) Lela Rachman Talogo (Canada) - Pearls of Africa (USA) Mark Wireman (USA) - Lawyers without Borders (USA) Miodrag Zivkovic (Serbia and Montenegro) - Zartonk-89 (Armenia) Paul Fifen Chimy (Cameroon/France) - Education for Development (Vietnam) Raj Gopal Prasad Kantamneni (USA) - Freedom from Hunger (USA) Stanley Tuvako (Kenya) - Kenya AIDS Intervention/Prevention Project Group (Kenya/USA) Yasemin Gunay (Turkey) - Mgbala Agwa Youth Forum (Nigeria)2004 Beatriz Iglesias (Spain) - La red internacional pro niños de la calle (USA) Biswajit Dash (India) - People with Disabilities Uganda Blandina Musvoto (Zimbabwe) - Mgbala Agwa Youth Forum (Nigeria) Claire Suzanne Holland (USA) - Bureau for Reconstruction and Development (Afghanistan) Flavia Trevisani (Italy) - Lawyers Without Borders (USA) George Okello Gopal (Kenya) - Centre for Research in Women's Health (Canada) Ian Foster (Australia) - Gwalior Children's Hospital Charity (UK) Kalyani Suresh (India) - Professional Education Organization International (PEOI) Maria Yvette Reyes (Philippines) - Mmanze Centre for Rural Development and Training (Uganda) Will R. Wallace (USA) - RESPECT International (Canada)2005 Ana Maria da F.M. Saravia (Brazil) - Shine a Light, la red internacional pro niños de la calle (USA) Carlos Jiménez (Spain) - UN Volunteers Egypt Elizabeth and Tim Rose (Canada) - Childcare and Adoption Society Zambia Haingonirina Angie Ramaroson (Madagascar/USA) - DatelineHealth-Africa Inc. (USA) Jay Martin (Australia) - UN Volunteers (UNV) Vietnam Mohammad Ashaq Malik (India/Eritrea) - Nile Basin Society (Canada) + UN Volunteers (UNV) Syria Charles Forrester (Australia), Kashif Kamran (Pakistan), Priscilla Lynch (USA), Taru Agarwal (India) - UN Volunteers Syria Sandrine Cortet (France/USA) - PEOI (USA) + RESPECT International (Canada) Sonia Ignatova (USA) - Action Against Poverty International, Inc. (USA/Nigeria) Stephan Bren (USA) - Mgbala Agwa Youth Forum (Nigeria)2006 Ayan Humbert-Droz (Australia) - Native Planet (U.S.A.) Dieudonné Amisi Mutambala (D.R. Congo) - RESPECT Refugee Education Sponsorship Program (Canada) Edna Eufemio (Philippines) and Lakshmi Poorna (India) - Solidarity Tourism (Spain) Lourdes Sada (Spain) - Community Empowerment Collective Society (Canada) and PEOI, Professional Education Organization International (U.S.A.) Minh Vo (Viet Nam) - PEOI, Professional Education Organization International (U.S.A.) Rajaa Habeeb Abdullah Allwatiah (Oman) - HASCO, Help Afghan School Children Org (Austria) Raul Alberto Caceres (Colombia) - NABUUR (The Netherlands) Shane Messer (U.S.A.) - LWOB, Lawyers Without Borders (U.S.A.) Solomon Sackitey (Ghana) - DatelineHealth Africa Inc. (U.S.A.) Su Melser (Costa Rica) and Delia Tasso (Italy) - International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (China)2007 African Conservation Foundation Team - Lauriane Cayet and Magali Moreau Bureau for Reconstruction and Development Team - Yin Mei Wong Community Empowerment Collective Team - Luiz Claudio Correia dos Anjos Conscious Generation Team - Deborah Hubscher Lawyers Without Borders Team - Bonnie Taher MAPU Association Team - Carmina Velasco and Silke Reichrath RESPECT Team - Veronica Patience Fynn, Dr. Raphael Sadiwa and Kenneth Donahue Shine a Light Team - Ludmila Cieszkowsky and Sara Gomes