On February 06, 2026, Madagascar Launched the IVY 2026. The event was led by the Ministry of Communication and Culture in collaboration with the UN System in Madagascar: UNV, UNDP, UNICEF, Civil Society and NGOs, notably Bondy, and environmental Management organization who implemented a reforestation activity with the participation of 200+ volunteers, including 28 UN Volunteers.

During the IVY 2026 Launch activity: Volunteerism was firmly in the spotlight throughout a local event. Mr. Miary Rasolofoarijaona, Secretary General of the Ministry of Communication and Culture and National Focal Point for IVY 2026, noted:
“Volunteering is a culture that now needs to be implemented and cultivated in Madagascar.”
The event concluded with an official ribbon cutting to mark the opening of IVY 2026 in Madagascar, followed by the sharing of koba, a traditional Malagasy cake—a reminder that volunteering is deeply rooted in community life.

Mobilization to grow the Year 2026: OverForty international volunteers, and hundreds stood shoulder to shoulder with hundreds of community members, collapsing the line between “helpers” and citizens—and reframing volunteerism as a civic duty, not an institutional project. It was led by the Madagascar Ministry of Communication and Culture, working alongside International Volunteers in Madagascar, UNDP, and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Commune of Mahitsy, and Bôndy, an environmental Management NGO among other stakeholders presen