UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday paid tribute to volunteers responding to Ebola crisis as UN is marking the International Volunteer Day.
"Their assistance is particularly important as we battle misconceptions about the disease and strive to show compassion for all those who are affected," said Ban in his message for the Day.
The International Volunteer Day was established by the UN General Assembly on Dec. 17, 1985. Since then, government, the UN system and civil society organizations have joined volunteers around the world to celebrate the Day on Dec. 5.
"UN volunteers and their counterparts are helping to address the outbreak through prevention, awareness-raising and treatment activities," he added.
According to latest statistics from the World Health Organization, the current state of the epidemic has now reached 17, 517 cases with 6,187 deaths, based on Ban's Special Envoy David Nabarro's visit to Guinea, Liberia, Mali and Sierra Leone.
This year's International Volunteer Day takes on special significance, Ban noted, as the UN prepares to shape a new vision for sustainable development and a new universal climate agreement, both to be adopted next year.
"I thank the more than 6,300 UN Volunteers and 11,000 UN Online Volunteers who helped millions of people to make change happen by giving them a voice in sustainable development and peace efforts across the globe," said the UN chief.
|
