IVCO
Cambodia 2025
Cambodia 2025
Continuing our series of interviews with influential Forum leaders and IVCO delegates, this week we met with Sandra Koch, Team Leader, Secretariat for the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development (IVY) at the United Nations Volunteers (UNV). UNV collaborates with the United Nations system, Member States, civil society and others to drive peace, development, and humanitarian efforts through volunteerism.
In a historic resolution, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2026 the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development – in short: International Volunteer Year (IVY) 2026. This significant milestone provides the opportunity to celebrate volunteers and their contributions on a global stage.
IVY 2026 is a United Nations General Assembly initiative to spotlight the vital role of volunteerism in achieving the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals. As Team Leader of the IVY 2026 Secretariat at UNV, I coordinate our outreach, advocacy and communications efforts around the International Year. The Secretariat’s role – as mandated by the General Assembly – is to support Member States, United Nations entities civil society, and other partners in observing IVY 2026 meaningfully and collaboratively. The Year will officially launch on 5 December 2025, International Volunteer Day, marking the beginning of a global celebration of volunteer action.
Absolutely. Volunteering has evolved significantly in the past decade. We’ve seen a rise in digital and remote volunteering, more youth-led and grassroots initiatives, and a growing recognition of informal and community-based volunteerism. There’s also a stronger focus on inclusion, equity and the role of volunteers in crisis response—from pandemics to climate emergencies. These shifts reflect how volunteerism is adapting to global challenges while remaining a vital force for solidarity and social cohesion.
What drew me to IVY 2026 is its unique potential to bring people and institutions together around a shared purpose: advancing sustainable development through volunteerism. It’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity to amplify the voices of volunteers, foster new partnerships, and shape policies that recognize and support their contributions. Personally, it’s a privilege to help create a platform that celebrates and strengthens the global volunteer movement. Volunteers around the world are contributing their time and skills tirelessly – and 2026 is the moment to acknowledge this on the global stage.
Many volunteer organizations face resource constraints, limited visibility, and challenges in integrating volunteerism into national development strategies. There’s also a need to better recognize informal and community-based volunteering, and to ensure safe, inclusive, and equitable volunteering environments. Strengthening volunteer infrastructure and data systems is essential to address these gaps and to scale the impact of volunteer action.
I would say: Do not miss the chance to observe IVY 2026 and do your part to shine a light on the contributions of volunteers to sustainable development everywhere. Volunteerism is not a side activity – it’s a strategic asset. Volunteers are often the first to respond and the last to leave. They build trust, bridge divides and bring development goals to life at the community level. Investing in volunteerism means investing in resilient, inclusive and empowered societies.
Our collaboration with Forum and IVCO has been instrumental in supporting global conversations on volunteerism. IVCO provides a space for peer learning, innovation, and collective advocacy. It’s one of the partnerships through which UNV has deepened its engagement with volunteer-involving organizations worldwide and strengthened its ability to support Member States in integrating volunteerism into development planning.
Registration for 2025 is now available for your chance to attend this thought-leading conference for international volunteering, where you will not only build supportive peer networks, but also help shape sectoral policy and advocacy initiatives in the volunteering-in-development sector.
For any questions please email: ivco@forum-ids.org
Forum is a global network of organisations working through volunteers to achieve sustainable development
International Forum for Volunteering in Development (Forum)
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