On International Volunteer Day (IVD) 2012 we celebrated our commitment and hope for a better world. The main focus of IVD 2012 was awareness of and recognition for volunteers and volunteer organizations. The purpose is to recognize this commitment, to inform people about the impact of volunteering on peace and sustainable development, and to applaud volunteers for their dedication and impact.
A flash mob celebrates an achievement: people mobilizing themselves towards an important goal. They work really hard together over time, and they might even manage to have some fun along the way. They see that coming together as a team will have effective results. It goes without saying that the public pays attention to flash mobs because they are proof that one special moment can inspire people to take action–and that behind those few minutes of dancing in unison were hours of collective efforts.
Likewise, the concept of volunteerism has undeniable parallels. Both embrace that strong spirit of community participation: anyone and everyone can get involved and jump right in. And in this case, the IVD flash mob in Bonn, Germany on 5 December 2012 created and built awareness of volunteerism during that one day of the year that celebrates volunteerism.
Quite literally, it IS inspiration in action, but only this time, set to music.
