In 2011 we celebrated the European Year of Volunteering for the Promotion of Active Citizenship. While aspects of volunteering are widely discussed and the need to value and recognise voluntary activities is highlighted, we are still lacking a profound discussion on the link and interdependence between volunteering and active citizenship. In the Council Decision on the EYV 2011 it is stated at the very beginning that:
               “The European Year of Voluntary Activities for the Promotion of Active Citizenship will contribute to showing that volunteering is one of the key dimensions of  active   citizenship and democracy (…).”
In this context, CEV dedicated its 22nd Symposium to the issues of active citizenship, activism and all sorts of civic participation in the local, regional, national and European life and decision-making.  Are volunteering and active citizenship projecting the same kind of engagement? What are the common points and what are the differences? How does volunteering complement active citizenship – and the other way around? Where do we draw the borderline? Or is volunteering a means to perpetuate the state of affairs instead of questioning the reality? These are the pressing issues participants will explore at the CEV Symposium "Volunteering and Active Citizenship: Two sides of the same coin?".
The Symposium took place in Berlin, the Symbol of multiculturalism built on civic drive towards reunification and democracy, where participants will visit local projects showcasing the power of active citizenship, divided into the following 7 thematic areas: • social inclusion and empowerment; • participation in decision-making; • cross-border community cooperation; • civil protection and humanitarian aid; • employee volunteering; • intergenerational solidarity; • sustainable development.

The Symposium aimed to accomplish the following main objectives:

•   To further grasp the link between volunteering and active citizenship;
•    To ensure a space for debate starting from concrete, specific projects implemented at local level by comparing and contrasting similar projects from across Europe;
•   To identify the most effective ways to empower citizens to be active through volunteering.
  

Programme

You can watch the video of the Symposium on CEV YouTube Channel:  volunteervoice

Local visits and Workshops:

The CEV Symposium was organised in the framework of the European Year of Volunteering 2011 Tour Relay in Germany (14th -20th October).