On the eve of the International Volunteer Day, the Volunteer FEST-2024 festival was held in Astana as part of the "Taza Kazakhstan" campaign, the official website of the Mayor's Office of the capital reports.
The awards were awarded to volunteers and volunteer organizations working in the fields of ecology, medicine, social assistance and inclusion, safety, animal protection, etc.
The festival was organized by the Astana Zhastary Youth Resource Center and the Metropolitan Department for Youth Policy.
Within the framework of the festival, more than 70 volunteer organizations that have made a significant contribution to the development of the capital were awarded.
The awards were presented in eight categories covering a wide range of activities: environmental volunteerism aimed at nature conservation; social volunteerism supporting vulnerable groups; volunteering in emergency situations where efficiency and dedication are important; inclusive volunteerism helping people with disabilities; event volunteerism supporting the organization of events; public order volunteerism, providing safety in public places; volunteering in the field of medicine, supporting a healthy society; and animal welfare volunteering, aimed at preserving the life and welfare of animals.
Each of these categories reflects the important role of volunteers in the development of society and solving its pressing problems.
"When you become the cause of large–scale changes, you realize that your mission is to improve your country and help those who find themselves in a difficult situation. We have one goal – to support those in need and educate a new generation of responsive citizens," said Dinara Idirisova, head of the volunteer movement "Meyrimdi Zhandar".
The Meirimdi Zhandar movement has been working for more than five years, helping mothers with many children, families with special children and socially vulnerable segments of the population. His efforts are not limited to distributing aid — many of those who received support have now become volunteers themselves.
"Volunteering is selfless service to your cause. Our volunteers are actively involved in the search for missing people, helping people with disabilities, and improving the environmental situation. Today, about 70 organizations with coverage of more than 6,000 people operate in Astana. We try to support them not only with awards, but also with valuable gifts, meetings and feedback," said Samat Ibrayev, Head of the Astana Youth Policy Department.
Special attention this year is paid to youth and silver volunteers – older people who are actively involved in helping society.
The festival gathered thousands of participants, including well-known public figures, bloggers and pop stars. Guests could see a photo exhibition introducing the work of volunteers.
The event was not only a celebration, but also an important step in supporting the Taza Kazakhstan initiative aimed at improving the country's ecology.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/astana/press/news/details/895752