Director-General of the Department of International Organizations underscored important role of volunteerism as innovative pathway towards 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals while highlighting contribution of volunteers to address COVID-19 challenges on International Volunteer Day commemoration. The event was co-organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UN Volunteers and the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS).

On 4th December 2020, Mr. Nadhavathna Krishnamra, Director-General of the Department of International Organizations, delivered a keynote address focusing on the role of volunteers on the SDGs. At present, it is estimated that there are over 13.15 million official and unofficial volunteers in Thailand who contribute to the advancement of all the 17 Goals, with emphasis on ‘people-centred service’ and ‘creating a joint force within a community’. The achievement of these millions of Thai volunteers has garnered international acclaim for their contribution in prevention of COVID-19 and control of the spread of the pandemic.

A panel discussion on ‘Volunteerism building solidarity and volunteer solutions on sustainable development that transcend borders’ was also held, featuring speakers from Ministry of Public Health, the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), the NGO ‘SATI’, and a VSO Community Volunteer. The role of international volunteers such as the Friends from Thailand (FFT) volunteers by TICA, was highlighted, particularly their contribution in strengthening global partnerships, through promotion of the ‘Sufficiency Economy Philosophy’ as a pathway to achieve balanced and sustainable development.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also soft-launched Thailand’s Voluntary National Review on the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 2020 with the theme of ‘Volunteerism and Sustainable Development’. The full report, when finished, will present the progress achieved and challenges that remain, the role that volunteers play in accelerating progress, so as to inspire the public to engage more in volunteerism and to realise their potential in contributing to the advancement of the SDGs. The achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and overall objective of sustainable development, as well as ensuring that no one is left behind require engagement of all sectors in society and volunteers could be the vital force.

The United Nations has designated the 5th of December every year as International Volunteer Day (IVD). This year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UN Volunteers (UNV) and the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS) co-organised an event to commemorate this special occasion on the 4th of December 2020 at the UN Conference Centre, Bangkok. The theme ‘Together We Can through Volunteering: Accelerating sustainable development and going further’ highlighted the role of volunteers who work tirelessly for the people and the community in order to drive forward sustainable development. The event also showcased the best practices of volunteers who have played a crucial role during the COVID-19 outbreak both in Thailand and in the Asia-Pacific region as a whole.

The IVD 2020 received attention from an audience representing a wide spectrum, from government agencies, UN entities in Thailand, civil society, to media representatives and representatives of volunteers working under Thai government agencies and the UN. The event was broadcasted through social media channels of the UN and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. An online video of the event is available at https://www.facebook.com/sep4sdgs