As part of the Open Days of Associations 2026, organised by the Office for Cooperation with NGOs of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, the conference “Volunteering for a Sustainable Future: Global Challenges and Local Solutions” was held on 12 June 2026. The conference brought together representatives of public authorities, civil society organisations, academia and the media, with the aim of opening a dialogue on the role of volunteering in building more sustainable, inclusive and resilient communities.

On behalf of the national contact point for marking the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development 2026, Jelena Kamenko Mayer from the Croatian Volunteer Development Centre took part in the panel discussion. The panel focused on the development of volunteering, public policies, social impact and future challenges. Representing the national contact point for IVY 2026, we reflected on the findings of the 2023 research “Volunteering in Croatia: Situation, Trends and Social Impact”, which shows that Croatia has significant potential for volunteering, but also a need for more systematic information, stronger support for volunteer-involving organisations and the creation of an enabling environment for citizen engagement.

It was particularly emphasised that the research results, namely the percentage of citizens who had volunteered at least once in the period from 2020 to 2023, when the research was conducted, around 25%, should not be seen as a failure, but as a message and an incentive to focus more on the reasons why citizens do not volunteer more often. The research shows that the main barriers are usually not a lack of interest, but a lack of time, other commitments, lifestyle and insufficient information about volunteering opportunities. We also reflected on volunteering trends in Europe, the shrinking civic space and an unsupportive environment for civil society organisations, as well as the rise of informal volunteering, which is difficult to record.

The panel also opened the topic of developing volunteering as a shared responsibility of all stakeholders, from national, regional and local levels to associations, the education system and the business sector. The discussion addressed investment in civil society organisations, support for volunteer programmes and the role of volunteering in strengthening community resilience, particularly in crisis situations. Krešimir Makvić from the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy highlighted the importance of volunteering for social inclusion and social cohesion and announced the adoption of the first National Programme for the Development of Volunteering, alongside continued support for volunteer centres and civil society organisations.

The conference provided an opportunity to exchange experiences and reflect on how volunteering can make a stronger contribution to social cohesion, solidarity and the development of local communities.