Annual Conference of International Volunteer Cooperation Organisations — Virtual Edition

The IBCR participated this year in the annual conference of the International Volunteer Cooperation Organisations (IVCO). As an exhibitor, a virtual booth showcasing the organisation and its volunteer cooperation programme PRIDE was operated, allowing the IBCR to engage with many people during the 4-day conference.

The theme of IVCO 2021 was Inclusive Volunteering for Global Equality and was framed by three sub-topics: decolonisation, digitalisation and directionality. The discussions examined inclusivity in volunteering for development, including all of its forms and the groups impacted by development initiatives.

Every year, the IVCO event brings together volunteer cooperation organisations, as well as members of the public, private, academic and NGO sectors from around the world. Together, they discuss key issues affecting volunteering, share innovative approaches and build alliances.

2022 Conference Focused On A New Era For Volunteering For Development

After two years of virtual events, the 2022 IVCO conference will be offered in a hybrid format from October 16 to 19, 2022. The in-person event is happening in Saly, Senegal, and some of the meetings and workshops will be available online as a video playback. The conference, which will be organised by the IBCR and Carrefour international, will focus on the new forms of international volunteering that emerged after the pandemic and the associated challenges.

As the world slowly emerges from most widespread pandemic of recent times, the conference will explore different models of volunteer cooperation, as well as new approaches to international development, such as leveraging volunteers from the global south and using their knowledge to achieve the United Nations' 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.