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On International Volunteer Day (5 December), celebrated in 2011
under the theme ‘Volunteering Matters’, UNWTO is highlighting how tourism and
volunteer work can make a difference through its UNWTO Volunteers.
UNWTO Volunteers work on tourism projects around the world, contributing to
development through tourism. On International Volunteer Day, UNWTO Volunteers
have been sharing their experiences and showing how their support to tourism
projects in the world’s developing regions is helping to change lives (watch the
video at http://vimeo.com/32914854 ).
Whether in Bhutan, Brazil, Guatemala or Niger, the UNWTO Volunteers all agree
that tourism is having a positive impact on the local communities they work
with, economically, socially and culturally. Tourism can be one of the most
effective drivers of grassroots development and employment for developing
countries, and volunteers are helping to make this potential a reality.
UNWTO’s Volunteers programme, run by the UNWTO.Themis Foundation, counts on over
200 individuals who have received training in tourism as a tool for development.
Many of these professionals, including the four in the video, go on to volunteer
around the world, applying their training to benefit local communities.
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