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A Global Milestone for Volunteerism: Resolution A/RES/78/127

In December 2023, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Resolution A/RES/78/127, proclaiming 2026 as the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development (IVY 2026). In recognition of its global mandate to promote volunteerism, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme was invited to lead and coordinate the implementation of IVY 2026.

The resolution was co-sponsored by 54 Member States, affirming the vital role that volunteers play in achieving sustainable development.

Who’s Behind the Resolution?
Legacy in Action

Can you spot them all?

A map of the world

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To help you out, here’s a breakdown by regional group:

African States (8): Algeria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Kenya*, Morocco, Rwanda and Tunisia.

Asia-Pacific States (14): Cyprus, Fiji, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan*, Kiribati*, Kyrgyzstan, Philippines, Singapore, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan.

Eastern European States (16): Armenia*, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Republic of Moldova, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Latin America and Caribbean States (5): Bolivia*, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

Western European and Other States (11): Belgium, Finland, France, Germany*, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Türkiye.

Countries marked with an asterisk (*) were part of the Core Group that led the facilitation of the resolution: Kenya, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Armenia, Bolivia and Germany.

A Shared Global Effort

IVY 2026 is a shared global effort. The Resolution invites Member States, UN system organizations, international and regional bodies and relevant stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector and academia, to actively participate in IVY 2026 and promote the transformative role of volunteers in sustainable development. The aim is to mobilize diverse stakeholders, create broad participation and generate long-lasting impact at global, regional and national levels.

What the Resolution Says

“Volunteerism is a powerful and cross-cutting means of implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the significant role that volunteers play in response to humanitarian emergencies.”

— UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/78/127

The Resolution outlines key objectives for IVY 2026 stakeholders:

Recognize and measure the contribution of formal and informal volunteers and volunteerism in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals

Integrate volunteerism into national development planning

Introduce policies that remove all inequalities and risks in volunteering

Support the setting up of knowledge and information platforms to develop and promote new forms of volunteering

This is not the first time the global community has come together to celebrate and promote volunteerism:

A blue and yellow poster with a road with red pins

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2001 – The First International Year of Volunteers (IYV)

Proclaimed by the UN General Assembly through Resolution A/RES/52/17, 2001 marked the first-ever International Year of Volunteers. It led to a global shift in how volunteerism is perceived, promoted and integrated into development efforts.

The year also saw the launch of the Unified Platform for Volunteering (UVP), a key tool that continues to support UN Volunteers engagement across the UN system.

👉 Learn more about IYV 2001: Secretary-General’s Follow-up Report (2005)

🔍 Explore the UVP and apply for opportunities

2011 – Tenth Anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers (IYV+10)

In 2011, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution A/RES/66/67, declaring the tenth anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers (IYV+10) as a significant milestone to renew global momentum on volunteerism.

IYV+10 also marked the launch of the first-ever State of the World’s Volunteerism Report (SWVR), a pioneering global effort to analyze volunteerism trends, which continues to be published every three years.

👉 Learn more about IYV+10: Secretary-General’s Follow-up Report

📘 Read the 2011 SWVR – Universal Values for Global Well-being

The upcoming 2026 SWVR will take a bold step forward by addressing gaps in volunteer data and measurement, especially in the Global South and informal volunteering.

The upcoming edition will include:

Eight chapters exploring different aspects of volunteer measurement

A focus on the impact of volunteering on skills, well-being and development outcomes

Original case studies and practical tools to improve data systems

The launch of the Global Volunteer Index (GVI), a new framework to assess:

The value of volunteering to society

The economic contribution of volunteers

The enabling environment for volunteering

The personal benefits of volunteering

📘Know more about the State of the World’s Volunteerism | Knowledge Portal on Volunteerism

2026 – IVY for Sustainable Development

Now, with IVY 2026, the world is called to move from recognition to integration, embedding volunteerism in policy frameworks, development planning and systems that ensure sustainable futures for all.

Other relevant resources

📌 IVY 2026 Planning Board (Trello): check the latest IVY 2026 communications products and visuals.

🌐 United Nations Volunteers (UNV) website: learn more about UNV’s mandate, inspiring volunteer stories and how volunteers are driving sustainable development across the world.

📊 Knowledge Portal on Volunteerism
Your gateway to global insights on the state and impact of volunteerism.

Dive into resources such as:

Volunteering Database - Information on global volunteering frameworks, including laws, policies, schemes, measurement approaches and Voluntary National Review (VNR) reporting.

Evidence Library - A comprehensive collection of research, reports and case studies highlighting the impact of volunteerism across sectors and themes.

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