Press Releases
Adoption of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly Volunteer Resolution (2024) by the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly
November 14, 2024
On November 14 (November 13, local time), in New York, a draft resolution entitled “Strengthening volunteerism for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, leaving no one behind” was submitted to the Third Committee of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly under the initiative of Japan and Brazil, and was adopted by consensus with the co-sponsorship of 100 countries.
- The International Year of Volunteers was decided in the UN General Assembly based on a proposal of the Government of Japan in 1997, which stems from a proposal of Mr. NAKATA Takehito, following the death of his son, Mr. NAKATA Atsuhito, who was killed in Cambodia in the line of duty as a UN volunteer in 1993.
- The resolution adopted this time underscores the importance of volunteers in disaster risk reduction and recovery, encourages the participation of persons with disabilities and promotion of an intergenerational approach to volunteering, and further encourages the participation of women. Furthermore, it requests efforts for the protection of volunteers and encourages efforts to integrate volunteering into the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
- The Government of Japan would like to take this opportunity to reiterate the sentiments of Mr. Nakata who advocated for UN volunteer activities, and will continue to support the promotion of volunteerism worldwide.
- This draft resolution is to be adopted at the UN General Assembly Plenary Session in December.
