For the first couple of years, the CoCo was run by several not very long term volunteers. The head of CoCo/CCIVS was not called Director until the time of Jean-Michel Bazinet (1964). In 1950 Willy Begert, who had been an experienced workcamp leader and International Secretary of SCI and written a book entitled “Organizing Voluntary Work-Camps 
The First Secretaries Read Post »
“As a world coordination centre for the workcamp movement, CoCo came as a disappointment to some. They expected smooth professionals, diplomatic gravity, the comforts of high office, and they found none of it. Our Coordination Committee and its officers worked in the volunteer tradition with all the strengths and weaknesses that implied.†Glyn Roberts “Beware!
History. 1948 – 1959 Post War Reconstruction and Peace BuildingHistory Read Post »
After the Second World War many non-governmental agencies all over Europe began to be active in reconstruction and in bringing relief to the many refugees forced to flee their homelands. For instance the Christian Movement for Peace (CMP) which had started in 1923 as a way to create reconciliation between French and German Christians adopted
The international voluntary service movement was born in 1920 at a meeting at a school in Bilthoven, Netherlands, appropriately enough named het Werkplaats. A meeting one year earlier had established the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FoR). Pierre Cérésole, a Swiss pacifist (see inset), had agreed to be its secretary. This second meeting was to discuss “How
History 1920 – 1939 Read Post »
31 people from over 25 countries participated in the event, creating a very valuable opportunity for the diverse member organisations represented, to re-engage, share and strengthen the network. This opportunity was especially valuable for many members, because it was the first in-person meeting they had attended since prior to 2020… During the event, member organisation
Get ready for a journey of transformation and impact! We’re thrilled to introduce Project ICON, an initiative set to revolutionise the International Voluntary Service (IVS) movement. ICON is all about elevating the quality, reach, and inclusivity of volunteering activities. The team: Meet the Organizations Co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union, ICON brings
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre recently announced the selected projects for the WHV 2023 Campaign, which promises to be an exceptional journey of preservation, education, and community engagement. This year, 74 action camp projects will come to life from April to December, encompassing 67 World Heritage properties and sites on the Tentative Lists. A total
World Heritage Volunteers 2023: Empowering Change for a Sustainable Future Read Post »
During the Master Class Series on Racism and Discrimination, which took place on March 21st at the UNESCO headquarters, a workshop titled “The Hidden Power of Memes” was conducted for 20 young students aged 12 to 17. The objective of this workshop was to educate and empower students in identifying and raising awareness about racism
We are thrilled to share exciting insights from the strategic youth partnership project “AlwaysON for Youth,” co-financed by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Program. This groundbreaking initiative was set to boost the capacity of youth organisations across Europe, enabling them to provide extensive and intensive support to young people, including vulnerable youth, through digital
AlwaysON for Youth: Empowering European Youth with a Digital Revolution Read Post »
From July 10th to July 16th, 2023, Ferrara, Italy, became the nucleus of an inspiring movement as 21 participants joined forces to present the groundbreaking results of the Decolonise Participatory Action Research (PAR) and to explore together with the Decolonise Youth advocates how to bring about the necessary changes. The Decolonise! Project aims to pave
From July 10th to July 16th, 2023, Ferrara, Italy, became the nucleus of an inspiring movement as 21 participants joined forces to present the groundbreaking results of the Decolonise Participatory Action Research (PAR) and to explore together with the Decolonise Youth advocates how to bring about the necessary changes. The Decolonise! Project aims to pave
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