French Embassy marks Volunteers Day

THE French Embassy in Ghana and the France Voluntaries-Ghana have jointly commemorated the French Volunteering Day in Accra.

Held on the theme: “Francophone Volunteers in action for a shared future,” the day was used to celebrate Ghana’s full membership of the international organisation of Francophonie (OIF) confirmed at the Francophone Summit on October 4, this year.

The day is set aside to honour the commitment of volunteers whose roles are considered crucial in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations.

As part of the activities in Accra, there were highlights of French volunteers’ activities in Ghana in the areas of education, health, environment and francophonie.

Among the dignitaries present at the event were the national representative of the French Volunteers in Ghana, Telngar Rassembeye,  the Executive Director of National Service Authority (NSA), Osei Assibey Antwi, the Legal Director at the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS), Juliana Addo and  the Lebanonese Ambassador to Ghana, Maher Kheir.

Ghana’s francophonie

In his address, the French Ambassador to Ghana, Jules Armand Aniambossou  congratulated the French Volunteering, Ghana, for its role in helping strengthen the relationship between the two countries.

He said, the volunteering group, along with the five Alliances Françaises in Ghana, has played an important role in Ghana's journey to full membership of Francophonie.

Spirit of volunteerism

Speaking at the event, held at the Alliance Francais, Mr Antwi, advised the general public to incorporate the spirit of volunteerism to promote the collective effort required to create a higher, brighter, more inclusive and sustainable future.

He said the concept of volunteerism  which was to give selflessly for the betterment of others, to support education, provide health care, protect the environment, or even those affected by disasters, reflected the best of humanity. 

“And that is what humanity is lacking. What does it mean to work for a shared future? It means recognising that the challenges we face today are too large for one person, one nation, one organisation to solve alone. A shared future requires cooperation, empathy and mutual understanding. Volunteers are catalysts for this kind of collective action,” he said. 

Connect

Mr Antwi said when volunteers acted, they connected with people across borders, cultures and beliefs, creating a network of support that transcended division, adding that such   global solidarity was crucial to achieve sustainable development for everybody.

He, therefore, described volunteers as the heartbeat of positive change and the driving force behind the creation of a better world because they filled gaps on account of limited resources to directly improve lives and  also inspire others to act, creating a ripple effect that built stronger, more resilient societies.

“To every volunteer and activist of volunteerism here today, thank you for your dedication, your passion, your commitment. You are a driving force behind the better world we are all striving to create,” the NSA Boss added. 

SDG

Mrs Addo said as a nation, Ghana had to harness the power of volunteerism to accelerate its progress towards the SDGs, as that brought valuable expertise, resources and passion to critical areas such as education, healthcare and environmental conservation. 

She said that the MoYS was committed to creating opportunities for young people to engage in volunteerism, fostering a culture of social responsibility and civic engagement, adding that the realm of sports and volunteerism promoted physical activity, teamwork and healthy lifestyles, contributing to the holistic development of the youth.