The First Forum of Volunteers of the Commonwealth of Independent States has concluded in Astana. The forum was established at the initiative of Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to facilitate the exchange of experience, the development of volunteer initiatives, and the strengthening of international cooperation.
Approximately 300 delegates, representing government bodies, volunteer organizations, and volunteers, from Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan took part in the Forum.
For two days, they discussed the key directions for the development of the volunteer movement and presented successful practices from the Commonwealth countries.
The development of inclusive, corporate, youth, and environmental volunteering was discussed at the forum as well, along with issues related to social responsibility, the preservation of cultural heritage, and the expansion of international cooperation. Special attention was paid to the prospects for the development of the volunteer movement in the CIS region and new opportunities for joint initiatives.
The participants also discussed the prospects for professional and sectoral volunteering, the training of leaders and coordinators, the development of corporate volunteering, and the use of modern digital tools.
Following the event, the participants adopted a resolution on cooperation.
The CIS Volunteer Forum is expected to become an annual platform for the international volunteer movement development and will be held by the Commonwealth countries on a rotational basis.
Previously the Executive Coordinator of the UN Volunteer (UNV) programme named Kazakhstan a leader in the field of volunteering.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev welcomes participants of I CIS Volunteer Forum
The Forum was established by a decision of the CIS Heads of Government Council at the initiative of Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev as an annual platform for consolidating volunteer initiatives and exchanging experiences among the CIS member states.
Kazakhstan Deputy Prime Minister, Culture and Information Minister Aida Balayeva, Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme Toily Kurbanov, CICA Secretary-General Kairat Sarybay, CIS Deputy Secretary-General Nurlan Seitimov and representatives of volunteer organizations as well as the CIS member states delegations attended the opening ceremony.
Aida Balayeva read out the Kazakhstan President’s address of welcome.
The Kazakhstan Head of State emphasized the symbolism of holding the forum during the International Year of Volunteers, proclaimed by the UN at Kazakhstan’s initiative, which acknowledges the great role of volunteers in tackling social, humanitarian, and environmental challenges.
Organizing the forum, Kazakhstan aimed to create a permanent CIS platform for the volunteer cooperation and the consolidation of volunteer initiatives in the international arena.
The Kazakhstan President stressed the need to focus on building friendship ties and enrooting values such as solidarity, compassion, and mercy.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said volunteering serves the development of human potential, promoting the idea of responsible citizenship and building new public ethics. He reminded that the new Constitution of Kazakhstan enshrines state support for volunteerism at the highest legal level.
He highlighted the nationwide movement Taza Qazaqhstan (Clean Kazakhstan), which quickly united citizens, especially young people. Nearly 300,000 volunteers participated in thousands of events during the Year of Volunteers.
In conclusion, the Kazakhstan Head of State wished the forum participants fruitful work and great joint achievements.
Earlier Qazinform reported, Kazakhstan proposed creating a unified international portal for volunteers under the United Nations to register volunteers, determine their status and organize their areas of activity.
CIS Secretary-General Sergey Lebedev: Volunteer Forum is Manifestation of Common Values Uniting our Countries and Peoples
Deputy Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Independent States Nurlan Seitimov took part in the First Forum of Volunteers of the Commonwealth of Independent States that concluded in Astana. He conveyed the greetings of CIS Secretary-General Sergey Lebedev to the organizers and participants of the meeting.
The CIS Secretary-General noted in his greeting that the decision to establish an annual volunteers’ forum had become an important milestone in the development of humanitarian cooperation within the Commonwealth. And symbolically, the first Forum took place in the year marking the 35th anniversary of the CIS.
“The volunteer movement is not just a form of social activity. It is a manifestation of the common values that unite our countries and peoples: mutual assistance, compassion, respect, and solidarity. We view the strengthening of volunteer traditions as an important driving force for changing human society towards greater humanization. And it is precisely this approach that forms the basis of the Concept of the Development of Cooperation in Supporting the Youth Volunteer Movement, being implemented in the Commonwealth. It is often said that the future is shaped by technology, economy, or politics. In reality, the future is shaped by people. The people who don’t walk past someone else’s misfortune. The people who are ready to give their time, energy, and knowledge for the sake of others,” the greeting reads.
According to Sergey Lebedev, the volunteer movement is actively developing in all CIS member states. Thousands of volunteers help people in difficult situations every day, participate in environmental campaigns, cultural projects, educational programs, and humanitarian initiatives. Their work shows that even a small good deed can change a person’s life, and sometimes even an entire community.
The intensification of volunteer activities is accompanied by the legislation improvement, which was largely facilitated by the adoption of the Model Law on Volunteerism (Volunteering) by the Inter‑Parliamentary Assembly of the CIS member states. The establishment of two basic organizations in the Commonwealth for the development of the volunteer movement also had a positive impact on cooperation; they serve as scientific, methodological, and organizational centers in this area.
The CIS Secretary-General expressed confidence that the Forum of Volunteers in Astana would give an additional impetus to the volunteer movement, becoming a source of new ideas, inspiration, and good initiatives aimed at creating and achieving concrete results for the common good.
Nurlan Seitimov in his turn emphasized that joint efforts made it possible to draw the attention of government bodies and the public to the importance of expanding cooperation on this socially significant topic. Documents have been prepared that define a long‑term partnership among the CIS member states to build an effective infrastructure supporting volunteerism.
“The expansion of the international cooperation in harnessing the potential of volunteerism was significantly facilitated on the CIS Year of the Volunteer Movement in 2024. And today, we can rightfully say that volunteerism is becoming one of the most prominent social movements in the Commonwealth,” Nurlan Seitimov stated.
He drew attention to the fact that the majority of participants in volunteer projects, as well as in the current Forum, are young people. It is the younger generation, which shares common values of social responsibility, is united by concern for people and a desire to create, that preserves the cultural code characteristic of the peoples and shapes the future of the Commonwealth.
“Good deeds know no bounds. When we join efforts, we gain more opportunities to help people, implement large‑scale projects, and respond to the challenges of the times,” said the Deputy Secretary-General of the CIS.