Scheduled for 3 Days in Busan Next November, Over 1,400 Volunteer Officials from 80+ Countries Expected to Visit
The World's Largest Volunteer Event, Second Time Hosted in Korea After Seoul 2002
Busan City has succeeded in attracting the world’s largest event in the field of volunteering, the ‘2024 World Volunteer Conference,’ to Busan.
After expressing its intention to host the world conference in Busan to the event organizer, the International Association for Volunteer Effort (hereinafter ‘IAVE’), in November last year, the city established a cooperative system with the Busan Volunteer Center and Busan Tourism Organization and entered the bidding competition.
IAVE (International Association for Volunteer Effort) is the world’s only international non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting volunteering. Founded in 1970, it operates with individual, organizational, and corporate members from over 80 countries, and collaborates with entities such as the UN Economic and Social Council and the European Union NGOs.
Through three video conferences with the IAVE Secretariat in the United States (Secretary-General Nicole Cirillo), the city emphasized Busan’s capabilities in hosting international events, its locational advantages, and tourism infrastructure to promote the bid. In particular, at the Busan Future Innovation Meeting chaired by Mayor Park Hyung-jun on February 7, the establishment of a ‘blockchain-based volunteer bank’ was discussed, and Secretary-General Nicole Cirillo was invited via video to express the city’s commitment to leading innovative volunteer policies.
As a result of these efforts by Busan City, Busan was selected as the next host city at the ‘IAVE World Volunteer Conference Host Selection Committee’ held on February 28.
A city official noted the significance of the World Volunteer Conference, the largest conference in the field of volunteering worldwide, being held domestically for the first time in 22 years since Seoul hosted it in 2002, and stated that it will serve as an opportunity to further elevate Busan’s status as an international city.
With this successful bid, the ‘2024 World Volunteer Conference’ will be held over three days in November 2024 in Busan, with approximately 1,400 volunteer leaders and officials from over 80 countries expected to visit Busan.
The city plans to prepare a diverse and substantial conference in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, volunteer organizations, and the tourism corporation, including volunteer forums, breakout sessions, participant country exhibitions, and cultural events. In particular, it intends to set the agenda on volunteer approaches to solving social issues such as carbon neutrality, aiming to lead the paradigm of volunteering.
Mayor Park Hyung-jun said, “Hosting the largest international volunteer conference will enhance Busan’s status as a global city and is expected to have a positive impact on attracting the 2030 World Expo,” adding, “We will do our best to prepare so that Busan citizens and volunteer representatives from over 80 countries around the world can come together in a festival of neighbors.”
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