Busan’s successful bid to host the world’s largest 「World Volunteer Conference」 in 2024!
- Contents
-
The city of Busan announced that it has succeeded in its bid to host the world’s largest volunteer work event, the 「2024 World Volunteer Conference」.
*IAVE (International Association for Volunteer Effort) is the world’s only private organization aiming to promote volunteer work. It was established in 1970 and is operated by individual, group, and corporate members in about 80 countries to provide advice for the United Nations Economic and Social Council and to collaborate with EU NGOs.
The “IAVE World Volunteer Conference Selection Committee”, held on February 28, chose Busan as the venue for the 2024 conference thanks to a cooperative bid by the Busan City Volunteer Center and the Busan Tourism Organization.
City officials stated that this will serve as an opportunity to raise Busan’s standing as an international city since this would be the first time in 22 years that the World Volunteer Conference, the world’s largest in this sector, will held in Korea since it was held in Seoul in 2002.
Thanks to this successful bid, the “2024 World Volunteer Conference” will be held in Busan for three days in November 2024. About 1400 volunteer leaders and related officials from 80 countries are expected to visit the city.
The city plans to prepare for the conference in collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, as well as tourism and volunteer organizations. Their aim is to make the conference colorful and substantial with various events including a volunteer forum, sectional meetings, and cultural events. In particular, the city seeks to establish and lead volunteer programs by prioritizing a volunteer service plan to tackle social problems like carbon neutrality.
Mayor Park Heong-joon noted, “I anticipate that hosting the largest international volunteer event will raise the city’s standing as a global city and positively influence its bid for the World Expo 2030.” He added, “I will do my best to prepare for the event as a festival where all related volunteer officials from 80 countries in the world become close neighbors.”
