The Gambia joins the rest of the global community, today, December 5th, to observe International Volunteers Day, according to a press release from the country office of the United Nations Development Programme.

This year in The Gambia, the United Nations Volunteer Programme, under the United Nations Development Programme, will commemorate the day in collaboration with volunteer organisations in the country - US Peace Corps, Volunteer Service Organisation (VSO), the National Youth Service Scheme (NYSS), and the President's Award Scheme (PAS].

According to the UNDP, the celebrations will focus on showcasing the key role that volunteerism plays in assisting the government to implement the PRSP and achieve the MDGs.

The release states that "this year's celebration in The Gambia will feature a parade which will depart from the Shell Petrol Station on Kairaba Avenue (Traffic Lights) to the Serrekunda West Mini Stadium." This procession, according to the release, will be followed by a symposium at the Paradise Suits Hotel at 3pm.

In a message delivered on the eve of the day, Ban Ki -Moon, the United Nations secretary general, observed that the day comes near the end of a difficult year, marked by "rising food and fuel prices, accelerating climate change and turmoil in world financial markets."

According to Ban, there have been many calls for resources to combat these problems."Rarely, however, is volunteerism recognised as a potentially vast and powerful resource to engage people in the pursuits of peace and development. Volunteers can work on farms under a hot sun or contribute by email on the internet.

The cultural form and definition of a volunteer may change depending on circumstances, but the underlying principle never wavers; every individual can make a difference in society," the UN boss observed.

He added that beyond helping to promote the greater good, volunteers enrich their own lives, saying: "as one young volunteer recently put it, 'I love being a volunteer because I feel I am useful to society, and I get satisfaction by helping others."

And he went on: "although we cannot quantify this altruistic spirit in the way we measure other resources for development, we know that it is immense and renewable. He urged all members of the global community to tap this great reserve of energy and initiative.