December 5, 2025, marks the 40th International Volunteer Day and the global launch date of the 2026 International Volunteer Year. On this significant occasion, the opening event of the "SDGs Volunteer Service Block (VOW CENTER)" was officially held at Peace Square, a landmark of Dalian. Covering an area of approximately 500 square meters, the block will remain open for one year, promoting the concept of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) volunteer service to take root locally and extend its reach across the Asian region through immersive experiences and regular services.

A Century-Old Urban Landmark Reinvigorated with a Public Welfare Mission: Four 
Functional Zones Build a Volunteer Ecosystem
With a history of nearly a century, Peace Square has evolved from a municipal government office in the 1940s to an urban transportation hub and commercial core integrating culture, entertainment and catering since 2001. Today, it embraces a new identity as a public welfare hub. Leveraging this core landmark, the SDGs Volunteer Service Block is divided into four functional zones, creating a professional and diverse volunteer service space:

• Zone A (2026 International Volunteer Year Promotion and Exhibition Area): 

  

  
  Comprehensively interprets the concept of the International Volunteer Year and the 
  connotation of SDGs volunteer service through thematic exhibition boards, service consultation desks and promotional leaflets. It also features a volunteer coffee exchange space, a platform for accessing and downloading international volunteer service standards manuals and project management tools, and launches youth interactive games on climate action and sustainable communities to disseminate philanthropic concepts in an engaging way.

• Zone B (Sustainable Development Volunteer Service Sharing and Live Streaming 
  Area):

  

  Equipped with a small stage, electronic screens and live streaming equipment, 
  it hosts monthly themed releases and sharing events on sustainable volunteer services, as well as weekly public welfare cultural activities such as children's choirs and painting sessions. The zone is also furnished with barrier-free facilities (e.g., wheelchairs) and first-aid kits, along with SDGs-themed floats displaying volunteer 
  culture peripheral products.

• Zone C (Volunteer Service Project Interaction Area):

  

  Centered around 12 distinctive booths, it covers diverse projects including book self-service drifting, wild deer protection, water resource interaction, idle item donation, services for people with disabilities, beach cleaning and volunteer workshops. It also sets up a creative solicitation area and holds monthly SDGs-themed volunteer activities, providing the public with immersive participation channels.

• Zone D (Volunteer Service Organization Leadership Training Center): 

  

  Features a corridor exhibiting SDGs themes and volunteer services, conducts monthly youth 
  volunteer service leadership workshops, and offers coordination support and 
  international conference participation assistance for volunteer service organizations in 
  the Asia-Pacific region, helping to elevate the professionalization of regional 
  volunteer services.

Cross-Sectoral Cooperation to Promote Best Practices: Regular Weekend Services 
Benefit the Public Year-Round

Co-founded by multiple stakeholders, the SDGs Volunteer Service Block will collaborate deeply with CapitaLand Group, local wildlife protection agencies, youth disability service organizations, marine universities and international communication units. Focusing on sustainable development needs in the Asian region, it aims to explore and promote best practices in volunteer services. Starting from 2026, the block will open its four functional zones for regular services every weekend, serving as a comprehensive platform for volunteers to communicate, train and showcase their work, while also providing convenient channels for the public to participate in public welfare. From youth environmental education and assistance to vulnerable groups, to the improvement of volunteer service skills and the connection of international public welfare resources, the block will become an important bridge linking individual kindness with urban development and regional cooperation.
Amidst the pressures on multilateralism, the global consensus on volunteerism promoted by the 2026 International Volunteer Year is particularly precious. As an advocate of Asian civil society volunteer organizations, VOW CENTER will successively promote initiatives such as the development of an international sustainable development toolkit for volunteer services and a joint action initiative for Asian volunteer service organizations. We strive to ensure that the contribution of volunteer services to sustainable development continues to surpass the expectations of the 2030 Agenda, injecting lasting momentum into the achievement of global sustainable development.