Side event in New York and Online to launch three major milestones for volunteering

On International Volunteer Day, the 5th of December, Forum and the Volunteer Groups Alliance will co-host a special side event in New York and Online to mark the global launch of the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development (IVY 2026). Held at the Idealist.org offices and via Zoom  for colleagues around the world from 2pm to 3:30pm EST (GMT-5), the event will bring together leaders from across the volunteering and development community to celebrate three landmark achievements that will shape volunteering in the years ahead.

The session — Transformational and Impactful Volunteering: A Vision for IVY 2026 — will highlight:

• The State of the World’s Volunteerism Report 2026 (SWVR)

• The Global Volunteering Standard (Third Edition)

• The Call to Action for the Future of Volunteering

Together, these initiatives present a clear, evidence-based agenda for strengthening how volunteering is recognised, supported, safeguarded, measured and integrated into sustainable development efforts globally.

Presenting these works will be –

State of the World’s Volunteerism Report 2026
• Emiliya Asadova (UN Volunteers programme)
• Matt Baillie Smith & Bianca Fadel (Northumbria University)
• Samuel Manda (University of Pretoria)

Global Volunteering Standard – Version 3
• Kathryn Gordon (VSO)
• Raaida Mannaa (Habitat for Humanity International)

Call to Action for the Future of Volunteering
• James O’Brien (Forum)
• David Styers (VGA)
• Celine l’Hermite (Volunteer with LP4Y)

The session will be moderated by Lucie Morillon, Director of Communication and Engagement at France Volontaires.

Speakers will also reflect on IVY 2026 and the opportunities it presents for governments, civil society, volunteer-involving organisations, and communities to work together on practical improvements that will endure beyond the International Year.

The side event also underscored the strong collaboration that has shaped IVY 2026 to date — including the partnership between Forum, IAVE, IFRC, UNICEF Generation Unlimited, the Volunteer Groups Alliance, UNV, and many others across the global volunteering ecosystem.

Register here to join us in person

Or click here to register to join via Zoom

For more information on the Call to Action and Forum’s plans for IVY 2026, please visit our International Volunteer Year page.