Today, the UN and the world are recognizing a group of people who deserve our thanks: volunteers!

Every year, more than 7500 volunteers join the United Nations on the ground for projects promoting development, peace, and sustainability. These volunteers, most from developing countries, work in more than 130 countries. Today, on International Volunteer Day (IVD) 2012, the world is thanking both UN and worldwide volunteers for their selfless dedication to causes they believe in and recognizes that, with the generosity of their time and commitment, a better world is possible.

“Founded on the values of solidarity and mutual trust, volunteerism transcends all cultural, linguistic and geographic boundaries. By giving their time and skills without expectation of material reward, volunteers themselves are uplifted by a singular sense of purpose,” said Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in his IVD celebratory marks.
So today, we celebrate everyone who has given a helping hand. Whether you volunteered for Girl Up, the UN, or another cause you believe in, we’d like to say a huge thank you! And for those who are new to volunteering, take today to think about how you can help someone out- your actions, great and small, can make a world of difference to those in need.