KATHMANDU, Nepal, December 6 (IPS) – International Volunteer Day, a global event celebrated annually on December 5, comes at the end of a long series of special celebrations, each All activities are relevant and vital to achieving the United Nations Agenda 2030.
Celebrations include International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on November 25, World AIDS Day on December 1, and International Day for the Elimination of Slavery on December 2. and International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3.
After years of volunteering, I feel it’s time to assess where we are in terms of promoting and promoting what I call BIG V, a term I feel better about. to express the potential and dynamics of volunteering.
Focusing on the potential of BIG V is perhaps the best place to start such an assessment.
On the one hand, all the achievements that the country has achieved in the past two decades could not have been achieved without thousands of thousands of engaged and engaged citizens, with passion, motivation and economic benefits by no, to try to make the country better. and more comprehensive.
These are the people who are always present and ready to help when there is an urgent need in the community. These are the people who are at the forefront of liaising with local authorities and trying to find small but essential solutions in our daily lives.
I have no illusions about them, these are real people although perhaps their numbers are dwindling, especially in urban areas. I am also talking about activism, a form of volunteering in which ordinary citizens and members of small NGOs are promoting a just and noble cause, be it health Better public health, stronger education systems, protection of the land or protection of the rights of the most vulnerable.
So, considering this multitude of engaged and active citizens, we wouldn’t be surprised if a country like Nepal had enormous potential in terms of leveraging its social capital, which provides the foundation for Citizen participation, of which volunteering is among the greatest manifestations, thrives.
From this point of view, there is no doubt that the whole country should be really proud of their volunteers, even if so many unsung heroes don’t even bother to define themselves in such a way. so because what they know is that in the end, those actions, are the people that count.
On the other hand, if there are many volunteers everywhere, we also need to pay attention to the dynamics going on in society, especially those affecting the youth. An hour on social media equals an hour spent studying or playing sports, but it’s also an hour lost if you can do something volunteering.
This is a problem because we must see clearly that volunteering is not only good for society but also good for ourselves. The reason is simple: volunteering helps to become better, stronger and more selfless people, qualities that today have proven to be indispensable for a successful career.
In a way, volunteering is the path to leadership and personal mastery because we can learn so much from it. It is a school of humility that teaches us to value the little things that we often consider excessive and also helps us to appreciate the work of others, especially those who are not near us. , who are different from us.
In short, volunteering can really bring us together and strengthen national cohesion and cohesion. That’s why it’s important for Nepal to make a nationwide effort to really raise the bar for volunteering and maybe we should start by rebranding it, making it easier to talk about. and young people more easily connected.
That’s why the term BIG V could be a better way to spread the message and convince more people to join. It is also essential that we work at the system level and that the new Federal Government should at the earliest discuss and review the draft national volunteer policy that has been dusted for more than two years.
In this regard, it is extremely encouraging that some Provincial Governments such as Gandaki already have a volunteering policy.
However, approval of a document is meaningless without the political will to act on it. The problem is that BIG V must really become a priority, an essential factor that can support and help local elected officials to perform their duties.
Think about this: federalism is built on the premise that citizens will be more active and involved and that volunteerism, in all its varied ways and forms, can is integral to helping achieve a better, citizen-centred form of governance.
Around the world, mayors have leveraged the power of volunteering, harnessing civic engagement to complement and enhance the implementation of locally funded interventions.
We need a strong coordination system to promote and carry out volunteering, an issue that the draft national policy covers in part. In this regard, it is essential to ensure the creation of an adequate ‘volunteer support structure’ at the federal, provincial and local levels that can truly help mainstream volunteerism in all areas. national governance.
It may be a coincidence that this particular anniversary comes after so many other equally important “days” but it is probably all intentional because volunteering is the foundation and means of doing so. enabling humanity to tackle some of the toughest and most persistent challenges, including climate change.
The second problem is one that, without the active participation of millions of young people worldwide, would not be of interest to public opinion and leaders.
In short, volunteering is a good motivator and Nepal needs it. But we cannot take that for granted. We need to highlight that, we need to really work to make it easier for people of all ages and groups to donate their time and skills and make society a good place to live. more comprehensive and sustainable.
Author is the co-founder of ENGAGE and of ‘Good Leadership, Good For You & Good For Society.’
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