In collaboration with the United Nations Volunteers programme and the United Nations Population Fund, and in the presence of H.E. Ms. Nevin El-Kabbaj, Minister of Social Solidarity of the Arab Republic of Egypt, and the permanent member of the Executive Bureau of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs, the regional launch of the State of the World’s Volunteerism Report 2022 by the United Nations Volunteers programme, and the launch of the Arab strategy to support volunteerism by the League of Arab States under the title "Building Equal and Inclusive Societies" took place. The event was attended by high-level representatives including Arab ambassadors, permanent delegates, and senior officials from United Nations specialized agencies.
Mr. Hani Mahmoud, Vice President of the Arab Voluntary Union, participated in the event and delivered a speech highlighting the importance of encouraging volunteerism in the Arab world, particularly among young volunteers. He emphasized the Union’s commitment to promoting a culture of volunteering in the Arab world and all volunteer activities aimed at community development and sustainable development in all Arab countries, as well as supporting initiatives aimed at encouraging young volunteers and creating volunteer opportunities in communities.
H.E. Ambassador Dr. Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Social Affairs Sector, stated that this launch provided an important opportunity to inform the Arab world about the state of volunteering globally, including volunteer efforts in the Arab region, especially in the difficult crises facing the region, as well as in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. She also pointed to the important role of volunteering in supporting efforts to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and move forward to implement the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
Abu Ghazaleh indicated that, within the framework of implementing the report’s recommendations, the Arab strategy for volunteerism, which was approved by the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs, represents concrete steps with specific timelines to prepare Arab volunteer cadres, both individuals and institutions, to qualify them in the required manner and within a legislative framework that supports this work. It also aims to coordinate roles among governments, supporting entities, and volunteers themselves, to form an integrated system to support volunteerism and be ready to face any future challenges, enabling volunteer work to play its important role.
Additional Sources: The official website of the League of Arab States.
