ASTANA – The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) program announced the opening of its Subregional Office for Central Asia in Almaty, during the first meeting of Kazakhstan’s National Organizing Committee for the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development in 2026 held on May 12.
The meeting brought together Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva, Executive Coordinator of the UN Volunteers Program Toily Kurbanov. Photo credit: Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan
The office will serve as a regional hub to promote volunteerism and civic engagement across Central Asia, further cementing Kazakhstan’s leadership in advancing the global volunteer movement.
The meeting brought together Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva, Executive Coordinator of the UN Volunteers Program Toily Kurbanov, and representatives of government bodies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and volunteer groups.
During the meeting, Balayeva highlighted Kazakhstan’s growing contribution to global volunteer efforts, including the deployment of volunteers to UN agencies worldwide.
“Kazakhstan citizens actively participate in volunteer programs and international initiatives around the world, and, notably, in organizations such as the UN and UNICEF. With the support of the government, nine of our volunteers worked in various UN structures from 2020 to 2023. In 2024, seven Kazakhstani volunteers were sent to UN agencies in Kenya, Thailand and Türkiye,” said Balayeva.
Kurbanov praised Kazakhstan for being the first country to establish a national organizing committee, calling it a model for others, reported the ministry’s press service.
“Your active work in this area has not only increased the level of volunteering in the country, but also presented Kazakhstan as an important international power in the development of this branch of civil initiative. Today, Kazakhstan is worthily positioning itself as a participant in UN volunteer programs. In the future, when interacting with other countries, we will confidently refer to the positive Kazakh experience of the national organizing committee,” said Kurbanov.
The committee discussed initiatives to promote volunteerism and strengthen civic engagement ahead of 2026.
Toily Kurbanov met with Akan Rakhmetullin
Also, Kazakh First Deputy Foreign Minister Akan Rakhmetullin met with Kurbanov to discuss preparations for the International Year of Volunteers, initiated by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, reported the ministry’s press service.
Kurbanov highlighted the role and contribution of volunteers in sustainable development, especially in light of current global challenges and risks. He noted that, through the knowledge and skills they acquire, UN Volunteers particularly those from Kazakhstan have become highly professional and sought-after staff members within the UN system worldwide.
Rakhmetullin emphasized that Kazakhstan places great importance on the development of the volunteer movement, and the declaration of the upcoming year as the Year of Volunteers is a vivid testament to this commitment. He underscored that the Regional Centre for Sustainable Development for Central Asia and Afghanistan, established in Almaty, will serve as a platform for exchanging best practices and experiences in volunteer development, thereby engaging a large number of young people from across the region in volunteer activities.
