Reach Out To Asia (ROTA), a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), celebrated International Volunteer Day 2015 with a special event to recogniseand reward the contributions made by ROTA volunteers, both in Qatar and internationally.

The event, held on 7^th December, acknowledged the important contribution made by ROTA volunteers and provided a platform for volunteers, new and old, to network and learn from each other’s experiences. As a member of QF, ROTA works towards empowering human capabilities to build sustainable societies and enhance youth organisations to foster a progressive society that addresses immediate social needs.

In the last year, around 700 volunteers have been involved in ROTA volunteering activities by taking part in both international volunteer trips and initiatives in Qatar, including the Ramadan 2015 Project, the Reach Into Qatar Project and the World Humanitarian Summit.

Mr. Mohamed Al Naama, Acting Executive Director of ROTA, commented: “Reach Out To Asia’s Volunteer Program is dedicated to building a culture of volunteerism and community service which effectively engages with different communities and contributes to achieving the Qatar National Vision 2030.”

“That we have achieved the success we have experienced is attributable to the amazing volunteers we at ROTA are able to call upon. Without their dedication, hard work and inspiration, achieving our goal would be impossible and we offer our heartfelt thanks for the important contributions that they make. We want to use International Volunteer Day to celebrate this remarkable community of people,” Mr. Al Naama continued.

Also attending the event was Mr. Ibrahim Al-Balushi, Executive Director of the TAMM Qatar Volunteers Network, an online initiative designed to connect volunteers with opportunities in Qatar, who gave a short demonstration of the service available from TAMM. Mr. Al-Balushi said: “I would like to thank ROTA for organizing this event to celebrate International Volunteer Day and to recognize ROTA’s volunteers. In addition, we want to thank them for giving us the opportunity to participate and provide a simplified presentation about the Qatar Volunteers Network “TAMM”. We also take this opportunity to extend our sincere thanks and gratitude to all the youth volunteers who were a major factor in the majority of successful projects organized by the state. The aim of international volunteer day is to raise awareness of volunteer work, as well as to encourage young people to take the initiative and provide ideas, particularly with regard to voluntary activities. Volunteering is an important part of our daily lives and has a positive impact on both the individual and the wider society.

ROTA’s Volunteer Program has a database of over 3000 volunteers, inclusively engaging people from all sections of society regardless of age, nationality or gender. In 2015, 65 per cent of volunteers who participated in ROTA’s Volunteer Program activities were female, and 45 per cent were Qatari nationals.

TAMM is co-founded by ROTA, Silatech, the Social Development Centre and the Qatar Centre for Voluntary Activities.

International Volunteer Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1985 and is now celebrated worldwide with thousands of volunteers involved in a range of activities and events aimed to highlight the role of volunteers in their communities. International Volunteer Day offers an opportunity for both volunteer organisations and individual volunteers to promote their contributions to development at local, national and international levels.

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