President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev addressed the International Volunteers Forum in the Kazakh capital, El.kz reports.
In his speech, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stressed that being a volunteer means being a patriot of your country.
Volunteers play a significant role in the development of society through their good deeds. Tokayev noted that mercy is an important feature of the Kazakh people, who are always ready to help those who are in trouble. Many representatives of ethnic groups resettled in Kazakhstan have found their second home here.
The President expressed his opinion on the need to stimulate the activities of volunteers by providing long-term grants. It is important to create a sustainable partnership between public and private donors, as well as to promote productive cooperation between domestic and international donors.
Tokayev stressed the need to develop infrastructure for institutional support for volunteer and charitable organizations. To do this, it is necessary to strengthen the organizational, technical and human capacity of volunteer front offices at the national and regional levels. He also stressed the importance of promoting international cooperation in the field of volunteering.
The President noted the work of Kazakhstanis in various countries, such as Jordan, Kenya, Thailand and Turkey, and expressed gratitude to the UN representatives for their support of Kazakhstan's volunteers. Last year, the country hosted the first forum of Central Asian volunteers.
Tokayev recognized international volunteer programs as the most effective within the framework of "people's diplomacy". He also expressed confidence that people who have dedicated their lives to helping others, especially representatives of foreign communities, deserve recognition and are the true elite of humanity. Such volunteers play an important role in bringing peoples closer together and conducting a dialogue between different cultures and civilizations.
Tokayev stressed that Kazakhstan seeks to further support the volunteer movement and is ready to expand cooperation with international organizations working in this area. The forum, which takes place in Astana, is considered a powerful impetus for the development of volunteer activities. The President expressed sincere gratitude to all the participants of the forum for their active participation and wished them success in their noble mission.
Within the framework of the forum, an address was read by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, as well as speeches by various dignitaries, including UN Resident Coordinator in Kazakhstan Michaela Friberg-Storey, Executive Coordinator of the UN Volunteers Program Toili Kurbanov, Director General of the UAE Ministry of Tolerance and Peaceful Coexistence Afra Mohammed Al Sabri, as well as a well-known Turkish cultural figure Haluk Levent and many other high-ranking guests.