International Volunteer Day, December 5, offers an opportunity for volunteer organizations and individual volunteers to make visible their contributions - at local, national and international levels - to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Volunteer recognition programs were held in Argentina and Pakistan. Volunteer program coordinators in Russia organized an online roundtable forum that included participants from Austria and Israel.
In his message for International Volunteer Day 2012, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, "Founded on the values of solidarity and mutual trust, volunteerism transcends all cultural, linguistic and geographic boundaries. By giving their time and skills without expectation of material reward, volunteers themselves are uplifted by a singular sense of purpose."
The UN's theme for 2012 was "Celebrate volunteering!"