YEAR OF VOLUNTEERING : CAMPAIGN AIMS TO DOUBLE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS.

At the opening conference of the European Year of Volunteering, on 8 January, Commissioner Viviane Reding (justice, fundamental rights and citizenship) said she hoped to see the number of volunteers double as a result of the campaign in 2011. Currently, 100 million European citizens engage in unpaid volunteer activities, mainly sports or outdoor recreational activities. "That is why everybody has to heed the call of the European Year of Volunteering," said Pal Schmitt, president of the Republic of Hungary, who added that nearly 1,500 volunteer organisations are currently active in his country. More generally, he reiterated the importance of volunteering, which "cures social problems by promoting the individual's spiritual health".

The conference in Budapest, attended by representatives of the three EU institutions (Commission Vice-President Reding, Greek S&D MEP Stavros Lambrinidis and President Schmitt), marked the official launch of the European year. Following on from the Year for Combating Poverty and ahead of the Year of Active Ageing in 2012, it aims to recognise 100 million volunteers, to lend new prestige to this activity and to encourage the millions of Europeans who are not involved to become volunteers. Its main aim is to create a framework more favourable to volunteer activities in the EU. Volunteers are...

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