I have a passion for transportation and everything related to its facilities. My move from the vineyard area of the South Moravia to the capital of the Czech Republic a year ago was helped with the fact that indeed in Prague I will not drink such a good wine, but there will be a metro for daily use! There are so many thoughts that go through my mind in places like this. Similarly, I like walking down big airport halls, listening the sound of different languages, observing people and trying to guess where they all might go, for how long, why, with whom, will they like it there or not? Read

For people not involved in AIDS work, World AIDS Day is a chance to stop, get out of their own day-to-day reality and breathe reality of those, whose lives have been turned up-side down with HIV infection. For those involved in combating AIDS, the above means that they should do their best to provide the general public with this opportunity. In formal language, World AIDS Day is a great chance for advocating for the sake of those affected. In human language, this means to do our best to get closer to each other and try to understand diversity and the unpredictability of our lives. Read

HIV/AIDS is a growing problem in Ukraine. It’s estimated that 1.4% of the adult population is HIV positive. The Czech Republic has supported the deployment of Czech nationals as UNV volunteers over the last three years to help fight the epidemic in Ukraine. Read

Hubert, an international UNV volunteer, has been serving for the UNDP/Municipal Government Sustainable Development Programme since November 2005. Read

For Olga Kolosyuk, clean water represents progress in a post-Chernobyl Ukraine. The fact that her village of 1,000 has safe drinking water demonstrates what the community has accomplished—most notably the refurbishment of a local water supply—since taking the lead in improving their situation. She is one of numerous volunteers who, with the help of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, set up a community organization in the village. Read

In March Ukrainian President Jushchenko vetoed a draft law aiming to regulate the country's volunteer movement (draft law No7550). The veto may have been the reaction to protests of experienced Ukrainian NGOs active in the field of volunteer work which they have forwarded in forms of protest letters to the President. Read

Nearly one thousand schoolchildren, youngsters and their parents came to the “Kyevepoplaza” exhibition centre in Kyiv, Ukraine for the International “Country of Childhood” exhibition. The Ukrainian Red Cross also launched a new HIV/AIDS awareness and anti-stigma campaign during the exhibition. Read

Service For Peace (SFP) held IVD activities in 10 countries involving more than 4,600 volunteers and participants worldwide. Here are summaries of the celebrations. Read

A party was organized for children refugees in Kyiv integration centre for refugees on 10 December, with the joint efforts of the volunteers of UNHCR and International Relief and Friendship Foundation in affiliation with Service For Peace and students of Kyiv universities. The UN Volunteers programme also supported this initiative. Read

On December 5th, the United Nations Volunteers serving in Ukraine along with the local community celebrated the International Volunteer Day by organizing a press conference and a Volunteer Organizations Information Fair. Read