New York, July 14, 2026 - On the sidelines of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development at the UN Headquarters, a special thematic event was held on "Best Practices of Volunteerism in CICA Member States."
The event was co-organized by the Permanent Mission of Kazakhstan to the UN, the Secretariat of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), and Azerbaijan (the current CICA Chair), in cooperation with the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme.
The gathering marks the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development (2026), which was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly at the initiative of the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. This milestone underscores the growing global recognition of volunteerism as a vital driving force behind the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Opening the meeting, the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the UN, Kairat Umarov, emphasized the significance of integrating volunteering into the CICA Catalogue of Confidence-Building Measures. He noted that volunteerism serves as an effective mechanism for fostering regional stability and youth empowerment, adding that volunteering is the ultimate expression of solidarity, transcending borders, languages, and cultures.
The central highlight of the side event was the official launch of the e-book “Overview of Best Practices in Volunteer Activity in CICA Member States,” presented by CICA Secretary General Kairat Sarybay. The publication is designed to serve as a long-term database and a practical resource guide for international partners and the global volunteering community.
The discussion also featured insights from the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports of Azerbaijan Indira Hajiyeva, UN Under-Secretary-General Haoliang Xu, as well as representatives of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the UN Volunteers, and various member states. Participants exchanged national and international experiences and discussed strengthening the strategic partnership between CICA and the UN in the field of volunteerism.
The thematic event seamlessly complemented a CICA photo exhibition hosted at the UN, which showcases the daily, on-the-ground efforts of volunteers, including projects run by the Kazakh environmental movement "Taza Qazaqstan" (Clean Kazakhstan).
