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The World Volunteer Web Speakers’ Corner: A community space to discuss volunteering issues The WorldVolunteerWeb has launched the Speakers’ Corner to facilitate free and open discussions among community members on key volunteering issues. Discussions will be held in this online forum in thematic modules, to be moderated by experienced sector leaders. The forum has kicked off with discussions on the first topic: “What’s so special about volunteers? -Volunteers and environmental sustainability”. Discussions on this topic will continue until mid-December. To join this email-based discussion forum, send a blank email to: join-volunteerweb@dgroups.org

NEWS

28 September, 2004 Red Cross volunteers set up additional camps in Chad A Red Cross camp for refugees who have fled the violence in Darfur has opened in Tréguine in eastern Chad to relieve pressure on the overcrowded UNHCR camp at nearby Breijing. The Tréguine camp welcomed its first group of 200 Sudanese refugees on Monday. From: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies   28 September, 2004 30,000 Prudential employees to volunteer in global campaign Employees, clients, friends and families of Prudential Financial will celebrate “Global Volunteer Day” on 2 October by completing more than 900 development projects in 15 countries around the world. From: Yahoo Finance News   25 September, 2004 Annan welcomes proposals to streamline UN Volunteers programme United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today welcomed proposals to streamline the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme , which seeks to mobilize people worldwide, working towards peace and development. From: United Nations Volunteers   24 September, 2004 New UN initiative promotes volunteering in Kyrgyzstan An information centre has been established in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, to promote the work of United Nations Volunteers (UNVs) in the country, with particular emphasis on the needs of young people. From: UN Volunteers in Kyrgyzstan   22 September, 2004 Canada releases new study on non-profit, volunteer sector A new report, “The Cornerstones of Community: Highlights from the National Survey of Nonprofit and Voluntary Organizations”, about Canada’s non-profit and voluntary sector was released recently. From: Volunteer Sector Initiative   22 September, 2004 Asian youth discuss poverty & peace in Hiroshima Young leaders from some 30 Asia and Pacific countries are gathering for a three-day regional youth summit to discuss how they can work together to tackle urgent challenges facing their region, including poverty, HIV/AIDS and environmental degradation. From: United Nations Development Programme   20 September, 2004 Volunteering 'good for community' Doing voluntary work not only makes the individual feel good but can raise the happiness levels of a whole community, according to new research funded by the Economic & Social Research Council. From: Economic and Social Research Council   10 September, 2004 Volunteers help again after Indonesia bombing It was with a horrible sense of deja vu that some Indonesian Red Cross volunteers rushed to a site near the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, where an explosion on Thursday claimed nine lives and injured at least 180 others. From: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies   9 September, 2004 UK youth has positive view on volunteering: Study Volunteering requires a make-over if it is to have wider appeal for young people, according to a new study published recently by the Institute for Volunteering Research in the UK. From: Institute for Volunteering Research   8 September, 2004 Red Cross meet to address volunteers’ issues & challenges in Africa The 6th Pan African Conference of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to be held from 8 to 13 September will discuss how to maximize their network of two million volunteers in addressing the continent’s many challenges. From: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies   7 September, 2004 Virtual volunteers help achieve real goals Online volunteering activities contribute in many ways, directly or indirectly, to each of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The Online Volunteering Service of the UN Volunteers programme is documenting how this is happening. From: Online Volunteering Service   7 September, 2004 TEMPO focuses on raising MDG awareness TEMPO was considered by the United Nations as one of the most innovative volunteering programmes around the world. It had just promoted 4 activities, the last of which was an awareness campaign about the Millennium Development Goals organized together with the United Nations. (in Portuguese) From: Natal Volunteers   6 September, 2004 Banking on employees "Employee volunteerism is one of the fundamental values at American Express across the world. Every event in the community service is put together with the involvement of the employees," says Rajiv Ahuja, director of public affairs for American Express Bank Ltd in India. From: Financial Express   3 September, 2004 Volunteers in Brazil bring MDGs to grassroots Under the motto, Eu posso - Você pode -Nós podemos, (I can - you can - we can), more than 800 individuals in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Norte have made a commitment to volunteer in their community to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). From: UN Volunteers programme   2 September, 2004 Russian Red Cross volunteers support families of Beslan hostages The Russian Red Cross volunteer psychologists and nurses are providing assistance to the relatives of the hundreds of people being held hostage in a school in Beslan, a town in the Russian region of North Ossetia. From: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies   22 January, 2004 Volunteers gain Albanian community's trust in reducing poverty Development officers pitching the Millennium Development Goals to the people of this poor remote mountainous town of Gabrice in Albania did not exactly receive a rapturous welcome. There was more than a little skepticism when UNDP established a new community development organization designed to pursue the Goals. But gradually things changed. From: United Nations Development Programme

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