(Bandar Seri Begawan, 5th) International Volunteer Day (IVD) is celebrated every year on December 5th, having been declared an international celebration by the United Nations General Assembly (UN) since 1985. This year’s celebration aims to recognize the contributions of volunteers and encourage the spirit of volunteer service at local, national, and international levels.
In the 2025 International Volunteer Day celebration, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Dato Nazmi stated that this year's theme set by the United Nations is “Every Contribution Counts.” He said, “This theme is a global consensus, acknowledging that every act of volunteer service, no matter how small, is important in strengthening communities and driving meaningful change.”
The Minister emphasized that International Volunteer Day has profound historical significance, and also marks the launch of the 2026 International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development (IVY), with celebrations officially beginning on December 5, 2025. He pointed out that International Volunteer Day was declared by the United Nations General Assembly through Resolution 78/127, with the theme “International Volunteers Promote the Year of Sustainable Development.”
He said that Brunei possesses a rich cultural heritage and noble values, with concepts of respect and mutual assistance deeply rooted in society, truly reflecting the spirit of volunteerism. This helps to promote unity, understanding, and a sense of belonging, in line with the Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) philosophy. The Minister stressed that all forms of volunteer service, whether formal or informal, local or cross-border, are important, and that such a culture should continue to be cultivated to consolidate the foundations of national social development and resilience.
The Minister further noted that volunteer service is an important platform for youth development, helping to shape excellent youth identity, noble character, and far-sighted vision. Through participating in volunteer service, young people can gain firsthand experience in community affairs, hone leadership and problem-solving skills, and develop empathy and social responsibility. “Young people who actively participate in volunteer service will become caring and capable future leaders.”
The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (KKBS) is also committed to promoting more effective participation in volunteer service through digital means. The Minister called on individual volunteers, youth associations, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to register and activate accounts on the “Mengalinga” application, which serves as an officially recognized volunteer contribution database at the national level.
He also announced the launch of the Day of D.o.A campaign, which, since 2015, has successfully recorded 723 activities, involving 565 organizations and 25,602 volunteers nationwide. This year’s campaign will kick off on December 5, 2025, and continue until January 31, 2026. The Minister pointed out that this is the best opportunity for all sectors of society, especially youth, to get involved in planning and carrying out volunteer activities in the field to achieve national development goals.
He called for registering activities via the Mengalinga app to strategically record volunteer participation data. The Minister concluded, “Let us continue to foster and practice the spirit of volunteerism among youth and all sectors of society.”
He also expressed hope that International Volunteer Day would serve as a starting point to strengthen cooperation among the government, private sector, volunteers, and scientists to jointly implement strategic measures and promote the sustainable development of volunteerism.
The Minister emphasized that International Volunteer Day has profound historical significance, and also marks the launch of the 2026 International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development (IVY), with celebrations officially beginning on December 5, 2025. He pointed out that International Volunteer Day was declared by the United Nations General Assembly through Resolution 78/127, with the theme “International Volunteers Promote the Year of Sustainable Development.”
He said that Brunei possesses a rich cultural heritage and noble values, with concepts of respect and mutual assistance deeply rooted in society, truly reflecting the spirit of volunteerism. This helps to promote unity, understanding, and a sense of belonging, in line with the Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) philosophy. The Minister stressed that all forms of volunteer service, whether formal or informal, local or cross-border, are important, and that such a culture should continue to be cultivated to consolidate the foundations of national social development and resilience.
The Minister further noted that volunteer service is an important platform for youth development, helping to shape excellent youth identity, noble character, and far-sighted vision. Through participating in volunteer service, young people can gain firsthand experience in community affairs, hone leadership and problem-solving skills, and develop empathy and social responsibility. “Young people who actively participate in volunteer service will become caring and capable future leaders.”
The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports (KKBS) is also committed to promoting more effective participation in volunteer service through digital means. The Minister called on individual volunteers, youth associations, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to register and activate accounts on the “Mengalinga” application, which serves as an officially recognized volunteer contribution database at the national level.
He also announced the launch of the Day of D.o.A campaign, which, since 2015, has successfully recorded 723 activities, involving 565 organizations and 25,602 volunteers nationwide. This year’s campaign will kick off on December 5, 2025, and continue until January 31, 2026. The Minister pointed out that this is the best opportunity for all sectors of society, especially youth, to get involved in planning and carrying out volunteer activities in the field to achieve national development goals.
He called for registering activities via the Mengalinga app to strategically record volunteer participation data. The Minister concluded, “Let us continue to foster and practice the spirit of volunteerism among youth and all sectors of society.”
He also expressed hope that International Volunteer Day would serve as a starting point to strengthen cooperation among the government, private sector, volunteers, and scientists to jointly implement strategic measures and promote the sustainable development of volunteerism.