In 1997 in Bonne (Germany), the UN, convinced that the need for volunteer effort was greater than ever and that a year designed to enhance the recognition, facilitation, networking and promotion of volunteer service could make a significant contribution to generating increased awareness of the achievements and further potential of volunteerism, proclaimed 2001 as the International Year of Volunteers - or 'IYV'.

The volunteering is important for solving problems, which our society is dealing with, for exampe social, cultural or economical problems. The importance of volunteering is presented nowdays too. The volunteering is showing people that they could change something around them. The whole world could become the space for people to realize themselves.

How to celebrate 10th anniversary of the Year of volunteering in the best way? Maybe by a next year of volunteering!  European Union tries beside its own activities to pay attention to another chosen important social topic. At the same time the topic is addressed to all of the citizens so to all of us.

The year 2011 was declared as the European year of volunteering  by the decision of European Commission (2010/37/EC) from 27.November 2009 (later just EYV 2011).

The EYV 2011 will be implemented in all 27 Member States of the European Union in connection with this decision. The National Coordinating Body of EYV  2011 is IUVENTA - Slovak Youth Institute, which prepared the National Programme for implementing the EYV 2011. Its aim is to achieve the objectives of EYV  2011.

The main goals of EYV 2011 are:

• create an environment friendly for the development of volunteerism and civic participation,
• strengthen the role of third sector organizations,
• emphasize the importance of volunteering for the society,
• recognize volunteerism as a tool for improve the quality of the life of the citizens.

National Plan for EYV 2011 in Slovakia consists of two main parts: research and campaign.

National campaign of EYV 2011 in Slovakia will take place throughout the whole year 2011 at the national and the local level. The campaign for support of the volunteering consists  of media campaigns (use of means of mass communication) and activities promoting volunteering, whether in the form of good practice, information sessions, workshops  or meetings of experts in the field of volunteering. Basic information about the campaign EYV 2011 and its various activities can be found on the website erd.dobrovolnictvo.sk.