International Volunteers Day 11th anniversary celebrations, New Delhi

UN Conference Hall - New Delhi

Logo, Photographs courtesy- UNV INDIA 

Ms Yvonne Maharoof-Marathovouniotis, Ms. Lise Grande, Shri Jitendra Singh, Dr. Vandana Shiva

UNV launched its flagship publication on volunteerism on 7 December 2012. The publication ‘Volunteering in India: Contexts, Perspectives and Discourses’ was launched by an impressive panel of dignitaries that included Shri Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports (MOYAS) (Independent Charge) and Minister of State for Defence, Government of India (GoI); Ms. Lise Grande, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative; Dr. Vandana Shiva, Director, Research Foundation for Science, Technology & Ecology, New Delhi and Ms Yvonne Maharoof-Marathovouniotis, Portfolio Manager for South Asia, Development Division, UNV, Bonn, Germany.

 

Volunteerism should be encouraged among youth: Jitendra Singh Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Jitendra Singh today emphasised the need for instilling values of volunteerism among youth through various organisations including National Yuva Kendra Sanghathan (NYKS) and National Service Scheme (NSS)

Noting that thousands of youth are engaged in the nation building through these organisations, the Minister said values of volunteerism is needed to enhance social well being of both urban and rural masses.Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Jitendra Singh today emphasised the need for instilling values of volunteerism among youth through various organisations including National Yuva Kendra Sanghathan (NYKS) and National Service Scheme (NSS).

Addressing a programme on volunteering in India at the UN Conference Hall, Singh said the Ministry has several programmes and schemes to propagate the values of volunteerism among both urban and rural youth

Message of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was read out by Lise Grande, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, on the occasion.

In his message, the UN Secretary-General said the timeless act of volunteering in the service of others has taken new dimensions in today's digital age.

"Anyone with an Internet connection or a mobile phone can make a difference," he said.

According to the UN, volunteerism plays a significant role in achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

"It plays a healing role by rebuilding trust in a post-conflict society," it said

Laila Saein and Anil Emage representing Kerala State (Second row)

News courtesy PTI

UNV publishes book on Volunteerism

Volunteer in Wayanad featured in

 United Nations Volunteers book

Laila Saein with UNV National Coordinator Amita Dahiya

News published by: Mathrubhumi National Daily

February 1 2013
Kalpetta: 

A volunteer from Wayanad has been featured in the book on Volunteerism  published by United Nations Volunteers (UNV). The rare honour has been bestowed on Laila saein, the driving force behind the project "Leadership Village" which aims to develop leadership and communication skills  of ordinary village children and youth in Wayanad, a least developed district of Kerala State.

 The working model of Laila has been explained in the book "Volunteering in India". Among the 25 experience sharing Laila`s story has been selected from Kerala. Laila attended the releasing ceremony of the book held in Delhi.

Click on Photo to enlarge

 While majority of the children from her community ended up in marriage before completing their schooling, Laila explored new territories by continuing her studies. Later Laila was determined to change the lives of children and youth  with the same  knowledge which re-scripted her own life.  She strove to spread value based education with the help of art and literature.

Click on Photo to enlarge

The book states that Laila intervened in the problems of tribes, marginalized community and farmers and helped to better their life. In 2009 Laila started the project "Leadership Village" with her friend Anil Emage in Wayanad. The activities of the project has been appreciated by World economic Forum.,

Laila is activie in the educational zone of Wayanad, other districts of Kerala, Tamilnadu and Karnataka. AFRC INDIA founded by Laila has started a "Shishu Panchayat", the first of its kind in Kerala State and the children`s news paper "Peace Gong" spread across the world. 

Laila also tries to catch the attention of the authorities socon social issues through documentaries  Laila was the associate director of the docu fiction "Return of the native" which dwells on the theme of racialism and violence. She has also acted in the film.

Peace Gong Wayanad

The Dignity song by Nadira X

The song was written and composed by evolutionary musician Dave Stewart and performed by up-and-coming lyrical hip-hop artist Nadirah X in support of Global Dignity Day. "Dignity" captures the great spectrum of ways in which people can express dignity and have a positive impact on the world.

Please share the video with your friends and help spread the message about Dignity!

Wayanad Shishu Panchayat launched

Deccan Chronicle reports

Lessons in democracy

To educate children on the country`s democratic setup, `Shishu Panchayats`, modeled after the real panchayats, in which children learn about the functions of grassroots governance, was launched on Sunday...

The first of its kind in the state, the members of Shishu Panchayat have been assigned posts of president, vice-president and media secretary.

The young group supported by parents and teachers, would look into the social, educational and environmental issues in their areas and find solutions. Connected to Shishu Panchayats, the community has officially launched `Peace Gong` a children`s news paper aimed at giving the `young reporters` a platform to write and develop understanding of such issues.

Twenty children have been selected to the Shishu Panchayat. (The Peace Gong is the media and literacy initiative of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore Foundation).