The Volunteers of Montenegro Foundation marked the International Day of Volunteers by organizing a panel discussion on the topic: "The importance of volunteerism for the community and the individual", in order to highlight the importance of volunteer engagement, as well as a humanitarian action for families living in poverty in the municipality of Nikšić.
The panelists were Miloš Nenezić, head of the Office for Cooperation with the Civil Sector and Protection of Human and Minority Rights, Jelena Milić, Director of Defendology, Ana Milović Jasikovac, Program Coordinator of the NGO Optimisti, Nada Jaredić, Project Manager of the NGO ALFA Center, Nardi Ahmetović, Director of the NGO Center for the affirmation of the RE population - CAREP, and Miloš Pavićević, executive director of the Volunteer Foundation of Montenegro.
"We had the opportunity to bring the beauty of volunteer work closer to the guests, and to explain in more detail how volunteer work affects the skills of young people, how the non-governmental sector cooperates with local authorities on volunteer work and many other topics," Pavićević said.
Ana Milović Jasikovac pointed out that a collective sense of gain is necessary - a sense of community necessary for the creation of new activities, new impulses and motives.
Jelena Milić reminded that their NGO has existed for more than a decade, that it was especially difficult at the beginning, but that volunteer work was most needed then. She pointed out that it took a lot of strength, will and enthusiasm, as well as that from the very idea to its realization, it took a lot of people who entered this process with unreserved emotion, doing very difficult, but also very emotional work.
Speaking about volunteer work, Miloš Nenezić recalled the anthropologists Levinas and Buber, who see man as a being of community, not as a being of egoism and self-sufficiency.
Nardi Ahmetivic spoke about volunteer work in a very emotional way, telling his life story and difficult childhood, emphasizing the importance of volunteer work in the community.
Nada Jaredić pointed out that the contract on volunteering is a legal protection for the individual who volunteers, but also for the organization that organizes volunteer work, as well as that togetherness is the only way to make great progress, to all give a little.
Mirko Pavićević recalled his first voluntary beginnings, the voluntary blood donation campaign with the fans of the "Sutjeska" club.
The panelists, volunteers and partners were presented with certificates of appreciation, and the Foundation team distributed aid packages for socially vulnerable families in the municipality of Nikšić. The aid packages are a donation from the children from VJ "Lastavica".
"The action included about twenty families from Nikšić. This is one of the excellent examples of how even the youngest members of our community can participate in solidarity actions and thus become agents of change. Let's all be like them, sincere, understanding and loving for people who are fighting hard battles. Together we can do more and better," said Pavićević.
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