Volunteering has entered the diplomatic agenda. Kazakhstan is proposing that volunteer initiatives be viewed not only as social projects, but also as a mechanism for strengthening stability, youth cooperation, and mutual trust among Asian countries, DKNews.kz reports.
The approach was presented by Kairat Umarov, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations, at the special event “Best Practices in Volunteering in CICA Member States,” held at UN Headquarters on the sidelines of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.
Volunteering Proposed for CICA’s Confidence-Building Mechanisms
Kairat Umarov emphasized the importance of integrating volunteering into the CICA Catalogue of Confidence-Building Measures.
According to the Kazakh side, volunteer activity can work simultaneously in several areas: strengthening regional stability, expanding opportunities for young people, and creating direct ties between societies in different countries.
Umarov also described volunteering as a powerful expression of solidarity that transcends borders between countries, languages, and cultures.
The event was organized by the Permanent Mission of Kazakhstan to the UN, the CICA Secretariat, and Azerbaijan, which currently chairs the organization, in cooperation with the United Nations Volunteers programme.
2026 Declared International Year of Volunteers
The discussion was linked to the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development 2026.
The year was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly at the initiative of President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
In this context, volunteer movements are being considered as one of the tools for advancing the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
For Kazakhstan, the issue is now developing on two levels. An initiative originally aimed at strengthening international recognition of volunteering is increasingly being connected to regional cooperation mechanisms within CICA.
Asian Countries’ Experience Compiled Into One Digital Book
A key practical outcome of the meeting was the official presentation of the electronic publication “Review of Best Practices in Volunteering in CICA Member States.”
The publication was presented by CICA Secretary General Kairat Sarybay.
The e-book is intended to serve as a long-term database and practical reference for CICA partners and the international volunteer community.
It gives member states a shared resource for comparing national approaches and using existing practices when developing new volunteer projects.
CICA and the UN Discuss Deeper Cooperation
The discussion also featured Indira Hajiyeva, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports of Azerbaijan, Haoliang Xu, UN Under-Secretary-General, as well as representatives of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the United Nations Volunteers programme, and CICA member states.
Participants shared national and international experience and discussed ways to strengthen strategic cooperation between CICA and the UN in the field of volunteering.
The volunteer agenda is therefore moving beyond individual national campaigns and becoming part of broader intergovernmental cooperation.
Taza Kazakhstan Projects Showcased at UN Headquarters
The discussion was complemented by a CICA photo exhibition displayed at the United Nations.
The exhibition highlighted the everyday work of volunteers across member states. It also featured projects of Kazakhstan’s environmental initiative Taza Kazakhstan.
For Kazakhstan, this provides another way to present its volunteer experience internationally through concrete projects already being implemented inside the country.
The next stage will focus on putting the accumulated experience of CICA countries into practice and expanding cooperation with the UN during the International Year of Volunteers in 2026.
