By Pavel Trantina, member of the EESC Civil Society Organisations’ Group

‘Every Contribution Matters’ is the guiding theme of the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development 2026 (IVY 2026), officially launched by the United Nations on 5 December 2025. This powerful message reflects a global reality: more than 2.1 billion volunteers worldwide give their time, skills and energy to foster solidarity, strengthen humanity and drive positive change. Their contributions are indispensable to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, responding effectively to humanitarian crises and building resilient, inclusive communities.

IVY 2026 is both a celebration and a call to action. It invites governments, United Nations entities, civil society organisations, academia and the private sector to deepen their understanding of volunteering, strengthen knowledge-sharing and better integrate volunteering into national and international development strategies. By doing so, volunteering can be fully recognised as a strategic force for sustainable development rather than a complementary activity.

Women play a particularly important role in volunteering worldwide. They represent a large share of volunteers and are often at the forefront of community initiatives, social services and humanitarian responses. At the same time, volunteering has been a powerful driver of progress for women’s rights and gender equality. Many volunteers devote their efforts to supporting women’s empowerment, combating gender-based violence, promoting equal opportunities and strengthening the voices of women in civic and public life.

For the European Economic and Social Committee, and particularly for the Civil Society Organisations’ Group, volunteering is not a new topic. We played an active role during the European Year of Volunteering 2011 and its follow-up initiatives. We have supported the proper measurement of volunteering in line with the International Labour Organization methodology, contributed significantly to shaping the European Solidarity Corps programme, initiated several EESC opinions, commissioned a study on emerging trends in volunteering and organised multiple conferences on the topic. Throughout these efforts, we have consistently advocated stronger enabling environments for volunteers and their organisations.

IVY 2026 offers a new opportunity to build on this legacy. Our objectives are clear: to highlight the transformative power of volunteering, encourage sustained investment, create supportive policy frameworks and secure firm commitments from all stakeholders to strengthen volunteering ecosystems that enable community action to thrive.

Will you join us in making IVY 2026 a meaningful and lasting success?