The State of the World's Volunteerism Report
 Beirut, 5 December 2011 - On the occasion of the International Volunteer Day, which coincides on the 5th of December of each year, and the closure of the tenth anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers, the "First State of the World's Volunteerism" (SWVR) report was launched today at the United National General Assembly in New York.
The report captures the value of volunteerism on a global scale, the value of solidarity, commitment and respect, and deepens the understanding of the impact that volunteerism can have on our lives. It is also the first time that an organization is attempting to acknowledge and recognize the work of volunteers all over the globe.
The report illustrates the universal value of volunteering: the desire to contribute. It examines the impact of volunteer action on societies and individuals. Through many examples, the report illustrates why volunteerism, in its many and diverse forms, is crucial to sustainable human development.
The efforts of governments and international actors to face the global challenges, and to meet and sustain internationally agreed development targets including the Millennium Development Goals, need the voluntary engagement and support of the people. "Beginning with the words 'We the peoples', the United Nations Charter reminds us that crafting solutions to global challenges is a job not only for Governments, but for people, communities and civil society", said UN Secretary General BAN Ki-moon in his message for the International Volunteer Day this year.
The report challenges some dominant misperceptions including that volunteering is associated exclusively with altruistic acts of helping others, which underestimate the range and impact of volunteer action. The report locates volunteerism at the heart of an emerging development agenda. It shows the link between volunteerism's contribution in sustainable human development, in disaster relief, in environmental stewardship, in poverty reduction, health, education and beyond.
One of the most relevant aspects of this report is the focus on well-being. The view that gross domestic product (GDP) provides an adequate picture of a society is increasingly being challenged. The report argues that volunteerism can promote and contribute to the well-being at a community level as well as at the individual level. Studies have shown that people who volunteer are much happier and they live longer lives.
"At critical moments in recent years, the people of Lebanon, its civil society and its youth, have spoken out for development and stability. The UNV Programme has been working in Lebanon for nearly two decades now. The UN is committed to the spirit and practice of volunteerism in Lebanon, and will continue to support, through its various agencies, the efforts of volunteers to improve the socio-economic situation in Lebanon" said Robert Watkins, UN Resident Coordinator and Representative of the UNV Programme.
The SWVR illustrates how three major trends are changing the face of volunteerism in the wake of globalisation and the digital age: migration and travel are transforming the way people volunteer; the private sector is increasingly involved in volunteerism; and information and communications technologies (ICT) are opening up new means of voluntary participation. Volunteering is joining the modern age.
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