BELGIUM

In cooperation with UNIC, UNV organized a meeting this month on IYV 2001 for Belgian NGOs. About 25 people representing both Dutch and French-speaking volunteer organizations in diverse areas (senior volunteers, youth, women councils, etc.) came together to brainstorm objectives and plans for IYV 2001 in Belgium. As a result, IYV 2001 preparations have been addressed on March 27 during a meeting of the Ministers of Flanders responsible for volunteer issues. The meeting generated:

• A statement of support from the Ministers for IYV 2001 and its objectives;
• A deadline of June 30 for each Ministry to present initiatives for marking IYV 2001;
• The plan to "kick-off" the Year and the above initiatives on December 5.

For further information, please contact: Diana Perez-Buck, at: Diana.Perez-Buck@iyv2001.org

BOTSWANA

The first IYV 2001 meeting among Volunteer Sending Agencies was organized in Gaborone, Botswana. Some of the ideas discussed included:

• To promote volunteerism, relating it to traditional practices like "Mepato", "Letsema" or "Botsetsi";
• To organize a workshop for volunteers to discuss volunteer service and ways of promoting a culture of volunteerism;
• To form a National IYV Committee;
• To incorporate volunteerism in professional courses and in academic curricula
• To sensitize the business sector about volunteerism;
• To recognize outstanding volunteers, especially women;
• To prepare a directory of volunteer agencies (national & international) for networking and information sharing;
• To encourage youth groups/clubs to volunteer;
• To involve civic organizations (Rotary, Lions Club,etc.);
• To involve the President and his Cabinet in the IVD (International Volunteers Day) and other IYV activities.

A follow-up meeting is scheduled for April 18 to plan for IVD this year and discuss the above-mentioned ideas.

For further information, please contact: Dianne Arboleda, at: dianne.arboleda@undp.org

ENGLAND

The Active Community Convention, a major event in UK domestic volunteering, was held at the Wembley Conference Centre in London, England, on March 2, 2000. Organized by the Active Community Unit of the Home Office, it was attended by more than 2,600 participants. Also present at the gathering were Prime Minister Tony Blair and ten Ministers, including Foreign Secretary Robin Cook and Cabinet Minister Mo Mowlam.

For more information, please contact Bill Jackson, at: jwjackson@talk21.com

FINLAND

A network of organizations (in the areas of social welfare, health, environment, sports, youth, development cooperation, and the UN Association) has recently been established in Finland to prepare for IYV 2001. Different ministries have already vowed to support IYV 2001 in Finland financially through this network. The network will meet on April 19 2000 in Helsinki.

For further information, please contact: Mr. Hannu Kareinen, at: kareinen@alli.fi

ITALY

The Social Affairs Department of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers has agreed to be the IYV 2001 focal point for all levels of government in Italy. Also, we have learned that Volontary nel mondo - FOCSIV (the biggest Italian Federation of NGOs engaged in International Voluntary Service) will represent the international side of voluntary service in the IYV 2001 Italian Committee.

For further information, please contact: focsiv@rm.nettuno.it

LESOTHO

The National IYV Committee was established in Lesotho, following a meeting with 31 NGOs, voluntary organisations and government representatives. The inaugural meeting of the committee has been held on March 30 to discuss plans for IYV.

For further information, please contact: Ajuruchukwu Obi at: ajuruchukwu.obi@undp.org

NETHERLANDS

In the beginning of 1999, the Dutch Volunteer Centre NOV established a Project Agency IYV 2001 to plan, organize and co-ordinate all activities and events taking place in the Netherlands to celebrate the Year. In addition, countless volunteers, government officials, civil servants, companies and entrepreneurs are actively preparing events. The Dutch National Committee will be officially established in April. On March 15th a meeting to present the 2001 Local Committee Manual and to present the National Committee was attended by 100 persons from existing 2001 Local Committees and organizations interested in starting one. In addition, the first result of in-kind sponsoring was presented: the Yellow Pages, as the first edition including information on the IYV 2001 in the Netherlands has just come out.

To obtain IYV materials, such as the 2001 Local Committee Manual, posters, newsletter, etc. (translated) please contact Mrs. Esther Cohen at esther@vanspronsen.nl

For further information on plans for 2001, please contact NOV at www.volunteer.nl (English) and for more information on the Dutch plans and communication style, contact www.vrijwilligerswerk.nl (Dutch).

FRANCE

A meeting aiming at the setting up of the French IYV National Committee is being organized by the CNV (National Volunteer Center) on April 18, at 14hs30, at the Mairie du 15 ème arrondissement - 69 rue Violet - 75015 Paris.

For more information, please contact: cnv@globenet.org

USA

The USA IYV 2001 National Committee met recently. The awareness raising, engagement, and resource mobilization sub-groups continued work on their respective tasks. The excellent Website, still under construction, was discussed and will be launched end April. (It includes a kids page!).

The text of the IYV brochure was also discussed and agreed upon. Also, a brainstorming on the USA IYV slogan was held and the results passed on to a marketing professional. The next meeting will be mid April.

The IYV New York City Committee also met recently and the following were some of the outcomes of the session:

• A Municipal Partnership is planned with Amsterdam for 2001, based on both cities' efforts to support volunteering and on the fact that Amsterdam will be hosting the conference of the International Association of Volunteer Effort in January 2001.
• The NYC/IYV Website is in progress and will go on the web in the near future. The URL will be www.nycity.iyv.org
• Borough Report: Queens, Bronx, Long Island and Staten Island have their own IYV steering committees and are in the process of scheduling events for the year. @

For more information:

Mrs. Robert Leigh
robert.leigh@unv.org
www.iyv.org/shortcut/soc_devx.htm