FROM VALUES TO VOLUNTEERS – There are more than 25 Bhutanese UNVs serving abroad

International Volunteer Day 6 December, 2009 - Volunteers working in Bhutan came together in Damphu, Tsirang, on December 24 to observe international volunteer day and exhibit programmes on waste management, recycling and forest fire.

Representatives from 14 organisations and a few individual volunteers were present for the occasion

“Today’s volunteers are tomorrow’s leader,” said chief guest, Dasho Paljor J Dorji, after visiting the stalls and meeting youth leaders. “You are young, you are the new generation and you can always lead.”

The UN resident coordinator, Claire Van der Vaeren, said that volunteerism in Bhutan is deeply grounded in the country’s traditional beliefs and values. She said that principles of self-reliance, community participation and social cohesion are practised and highly valued. The village health workers, RENEW, Tarayana and school RSPN clubs are some of the recent volunteer groups in the country.

Claire Van der Vaerean said that the theme, ‘Volunteering for the Earth’ should remind us of the realities of global warming, and the need to act now to mitigate the impacts, and to adapt to climate change.

She also said that the UN would continue to support volunteerism as a force for sustainable development, and support the growth of volunteerism within communities as a form of mutual self-help.

As of December 2009, there were more than 25 Bhutanese UNVs serving abroad, most of which are in conflict or post-conflict countries, such Afghanistan, Sudan, Liberia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nepal, among others.

International volunteerism started here in the early 1980s, when a mechanic and an English teacher came to Bhutan to work as the first UN volunteers. Today, there are 63 volunteers from volunteer-involving organisations and many other individual volunteers serving in Bhutan.