Izah Azahari
Volunteers play an important role in strengthening relationships between communities, and it is no longer seen as an activity to fill free time, but as a vehicle to spread the spirit of unity among the community.
This was said by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Nazmi bin Haji Mohamad in his message in conjunction with the International Volunteer Day 2022 that is celebrated every December 5 in the Sultanate, as well as United Nations member countries.
The theme this year, ‘Solidarity Through Volunteering’, coincides with the state of the world and the country in facing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and an effort to cultivate the spirit of volunteerism among the public and youth.
The event aims to celebrate and appreciation to voluntary workers and volunteers.
The minister said the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has seen the spirit of unity from all walks of life in helping the government curb its spread, with more than 10,000 volunteers from various agencies have gone on the field to assist both in the form of energy, materials and ideas through the whole-of-nation approach.
“As a continuous support to the International Volunteer Day celebration, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports has introduced an initiative to encourage the community in general and the youth, in particular, to be active in volunteering through the Day of Action Campaign,” said the minister.
The campaign was first introduced in 2015 to gather and mobilise volunteers and non-governmental organisations from all over the district to join and implement voluntary activities.
According to the minister, about 20,000 volunteers have participated in almost 1,000 activities under nine clusters including spirituality and religion, society, natural disasters, social entrepreneurship, art and culture, inclusive education, animal rights, green initiatives and youth development since its introduction.
This year’s main launching ceremony of the Day of Action Campaign will be held on December 11.
“The campaign is hoped to strengthen and spread the spirit and culture of volunteers among the public and youth as emphasised in the State of the World’s Volunteerism Report 2018 where volunteers play an important role in the formation of a resilient society.
“This also coincides with the values of the Malay Islamic Monarchy philosophy (MIB) which emphasises the importance of the spirit of mutual cooperation among the community to ensure the harmony of community life,” he said.
