Magsaysay Awards lectures on volunteerism slated for Sept. 1

As part of the Magsaysay Awards Week, a Volunteerism Day will be held on Sept. 1 to pay tribute to all volunteer institutions and organizations that tirelessly serve the marginalized in society.

Two public lectures are scheduled on that day. The first is “Volunteerism as force for development,” which features two long-standing volunteer organizations with wide experience in development work in Asia and the Philippines: the 2016 Magsaysay Awardee from Japan – JOCV (Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers) and Ateneo-based JVP, or Jesuit Volunteers of the Philippines. The lecture is scheduled at 9 a.m.-11 a.m.

The second public lecture, which is at 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., is ”The heart of a volunteer: How to save lives against all odds.” It brings together the Magsaysay Awardee-organization from Laos–Vientiane Rescue–and REACT Philippines, or Regional Emergency Assistance Communities Team, the largest socio-civic organization for emergencies and calamities. They will discuss on-the-ground and practical experiences in championing the intrinsic power of personal volunteerism, and how this can occur naturally as part of our daily lives to make a lasting difference in the lives of others by sharing, giving and volunteering one’s time and abilities.

Both lectures take place at the Ramon Magsaysay Center in Manila.

Exhibits will be set up where the audience can network and interact with different volunteer organizations in the Philippines who are members and affiliates of the PhilCV, or Philippine Coalition on Volunteerism Inc.  The public can sign up for volunteer work that interests them.

A special tribute for a couple of leaders and founders of volunteerism in the Philippines will cap the networking activity at midday. It is hoped that this will be the first of more opportunities to pay tribute to the outstanding leaders of the volunteerism sector.

For more information about the event, you may contact Tina Pavia at 521-3155-85 local 128.