Volunteers are involved in every major shock and stress situation that communities encounter in a fragile and turbulent world from earthquakes and flooding to local conflicts and climate change. They are the thread that ties communities together frequently operating in the background. “Volunteer Actions towards Agenda 2030” was celebrated by UNICEF, Elixir Foundation, and The H.B.K. New High School in Ahmedabad with a focus on mental health and online safety for 180 students in order to highlight such spirit and to create a roadmap towards the achievement of SDGs by 2030.
The 2030 Agenda is a plan of action that will strengthen peace and work in concert to be put into action. It is for people, the planet, and prosperity. These elements of sustainable development are interconnected in numerous ways.
Speaking at the event Krunal Shah, Program Manager at Elixir Foundation said that “The SDGs highlight new areas such as economic inequality, innovation, climate change, economic sustainability, peace, and justice. The SDGs are global, inclusive, and represent a bold commitment to people and the environment. The participation of young people will be a major force in achieving these goals, and they should make this happen with their volunteer actions over a short period of time.”
Moira Dawa, Communication, Advocacy and Partnership Specialist at UNICEF emphasized that “The SDGs are a people-centered, transformative agenda based on transparency, participation, and inclusion. The realization of SDGs is important for all is us. We all share an equal responsibility for our future and the future of our planet. UNICEF is committed to bringing about change, together with all partners and stakeholders including children and young people.”
While Harsh Kapadia, Trustee of The H.B.K New High School highlighted that “Volunteering allows children to devote their time to something that will benefit them emotionally, physically, socially, and intellectually. Overall, when children have hobbies other than spending time on technology, their lifestyle can be more beneficially balanced. Volunteering can also supplement formal education by teaching skills such as leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, planning, management, creativity, communication, and negotiation. By mobilizing capacities and extending the reach of action, volunteers can facilitate and support people’s engagement in planning, implementing and monitoring the SDGs, bridging social capital and strengthening social cohesion.”
Dr. Nishchal Bhatt gave a special presentation on mental health after which Viral Parmar gave a presentation on online safety. Dr. Nishchal Bhatt spoke about the evolution of the mental health perspective and how teenagers and young adults must protect their mental health by practising positive mindfulness.
This event was held in honour of International Volunteers Day 2022 with the theme “Solidarity Through Volunteering”.