20 Quotes to Promote and Encourage Volunteerism on International Volunteer Day

The International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development is celebrated all over the world every 5th of December each year. Also referred to as International Volunteer Day (IVD), it is an international observance mandated by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 1985.

During this day, various organizations and individuals participate in volunteerism. They also promote it by encouraging all the people, especially the government, to support the efforts of volunteerism as well as to recognize volunteerism contributions.

Overall, 60% of informal volunteers are women.

Thus, activities and events for the day not only help to promote the impact of volunteering on eradicating poverty, but also have a great impact on promoting gender equality and empower women.

Each year the U.N. chooses a specific theme that focuses on different aspects of volunteerism.

This year we are marking the International Volunteer Day(IVD) 2019 with the theme "Volunteer for an inclusive future"

Here are 20 detached quotes to promote and encourage volunteerism:

1.Wherever you turn, you can find someone who needs you. Even if it is a little thing, do something for which there is no pay but the privilege of doing it. Remember, you don’t live in the world all of your own.– Albert Schweitzer

2.I was elected a captain of volunteers--a success which gave me more pleasure than any I have had since.- Abraham Lincoln

3.The past year's natural disasters have highlighted the invaluable contributions of volunteers in our communities. They have volunteered their time, energy and skills to save lives and to rebuild communities. In this, they joined countless people around the world who volunteer every day in response to 'silent crises'. These often unsung heroes understand all too well that poverty, disease, and famine are just as deadly and destructive as earthquakes, hurricanes, and tsunamis.- Kofi Annan

4.If our hopes of building a better and safer world are to become more than wishful thinking, we will need the engagement of volunteers more than ever.- Kofi Annan

5.Let us remember the large numbers of citizens who, day in and day out, through acts of volunteerism large and small, bring hope to so many of the world's disadvantaged. Let us ensure that this wonderful resource, available in abundance to every nation, is recognized and supported as it works towards a more prosperous and peaceful world.- Kofi Annan

6.Many people (who go to her as volunteers) have found peace, joy, and unity in their families by helping the poorest. - Mother Teresa

7.Volunteers don't get paid, not because they're worthless, but because they're priceless.- Sherry Anderson

8.Being good is commendable, but only when it is combined with doing good is it useful.- Stephen King

9.Volunteering creates a national character in which the community and the nation take on a spirit of compassion, comradeship, and confidence.- Brian O'Connell

10.The past year's natural disasters have highlighted the invaluable contributions of volunteers in our communities. They have volunteered their time, energy and skills to save lives and to rebuild communities. In this, they joined countless people around the world who volunteer every day in response to 'silent crises'. These often unsung heroes understand all too well that poverty, disease, and famine are just as deadly and destructive as earthquakes, hurricanes and tsunamis. - Kofi Annan

11.The patriot volunteer, fighting for country and his rights, makes the most reliable soldier on earth.- Stonewall Jackson

12.These often unsung heroes understand...That poverty, disease and famine are just as deadly and destructive as earthquakes, hurricanes and tsunamis. Individuals ...Are taking on these challenges in their communities, volunteering to make a difference. They remain the true champions of our work towards the millennium development goals.- Kofi Annan

13.You may not have saved a lot of money in your life, but if you have saved a lot of heartaches for other folks, you are a pretty rich man.- Seth Parker

14.Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in.

15.Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart. – Elizabeth Andrew

16.You can study government and politics in school, but the best way to really understand the process is to volunteer your time. – Rob McKenna

17.Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agrees to serve…. You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love. – Martin Luther King, Jr.

18.Volunteers are often the first to act in times of crisis, helping millions to survive despite the risks. Their work upholds our common humanity.- António Guterres