“International Volunteer Forum” – 2018

The International forum of volunteers was held in December 2018 in Moscow, Russia. Over 15000 young volunteers, representatives of numerous vocational associations, members of volunteering and humanitarian organisations, and social activists, with over 500 foreign volunteers from more than 100 countries, gathered in Moscow to mark the National and the International Volunteers Day.

ICG was represented by Natalija Radivojević, who joined volunteers and other participants in activities concerning business and culture and practical aspects of the forum.

After the official opening and the introductory programme, entitled “Thank you, volunteers,” what was presented were the volunteers’ results in the current year, followed by speeches given by Sergey Kiriyenko (First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration of Russia, and the President of the Organising Committee of the Year of Volunteers), Toili Kurbanov (deputy coordinator of Volunteers OON, Germany), and Sam Johnson (secretary of the Volunteers Association, New Zealand). Afterward, participants were addressed by the Minister of foreign affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov, who tackled the topic of “Peace: options for Russia.”

Participants were also able to get in contact with numerous charity, social and non-profit organisations, as well as to learn more on volunteering in social, international, ecological and medical events, together with events where an extra hand is crucial for the successful organisation.

The following two days were mostly dedicated to business aspect, congresses, initiatives, and international cooperation. The grand finale of the forum was marked by the concert of famous Russian musicians (Feduk, Egor Krid, Polina Gagarina, MOT and Mari Kraimbrery) in the CSKA Arena (VTB Ice Palace in Park of Legends). It was on this occasion that the award to the winner of the “Volunteer of Russia 2018” was delivered to Anton Korotchenko. President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, addresses all participants, emphasizing the value and the significance of youth activism and volunteering, and officially proclaimed the year of 2018 to be the Year of volunteers.

Likewise, the significance of volunteering, this Forum and the topics it covered, are emphasized by the fact that it was organised by the leading Russian organisations and visited by an immense number of established experts and lecturers.

Together with new knowledge, additional international experience, peer communication and cooperation, the establishment of new connections, learning about new cultures and implement ideas, the aim of the event was also to raise awareness of the significance of volunteering as well as empowering both new and existing volunteering teams and initiatives.

The entire Forum primarily promoted volunteering and establishment of connections worldwide, constantly relying on international law and the principles of the UN Charter, as the basic pillars which offer a solid ground for establishing cooperation and forming the “public diplomacy.”

Natalija Radivojević, BA

Law Associate at ICG