Until the Volunteer Day

5 we celebrate a holiday in December, initiated by the UN General Assembly - International Volunteer Day in the name of economic and social development - Volunteer Day.

Do 2024 this year, the world community will celebrate the 165th anniversary of the volunteer movement. It is considered to be the beginning 1859 рік, when Swiss businessman and social activist Henry Dunant, impressed with the dire consequences of one of the bloodiest battles of the Austro-Italian-French war (at Solferino battlefield left lying around 9 thousands of maimed soldiers), actually initiated the establishment of the International Committee of the Red Cross - organizations, that the volunteer would provide first aid to the wounded. principles, he started in this organization, started using active citizens in many countries, and this movement is gradually covered various activities: helping the poor, seriously ill, orphans, literacy, struggle with alcoholism, etc.. The term "volunteering" for this type of activity in the world to use the 70-ies of XX century. Do 1985 year, the UN General Assembly started a holiday - International Volunteer Day, celebrated 5 December.

Basic principles of volunteering: voluntariness and benevolence, legality, humanity and dignity, common interests and equal rights of its participants, publicity, responsibility, privacy.

The heyday of volunteering in Ukraine coincided with the Revolution of Dignity and the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian war. In an extremely difficult time this movement is united society, created an effective structure of NGOs, groups, ready to take on the most pressing and painful problems. Thanks to volunteers in the country 2014 he retained sovereignty, stopped Russian aggression and restored a combat-ready army with high morale.

With the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, hundreds of thousands of caring citizens joined the "volunteer front". They voluntarily took over certain functions of government and local self-government - social, humanitarian, protection of the state and territorial integrity.

Do 2018 year in the Military Historical Museum - a branch of the Chernihiv Regional Historical Museum named after. VV. Tarnovsky, the exhibition "Together to Victory" was created, which illustrated the help of volunteers from the Chernihiv region to the Ukrainian army and the wounded. Items were presented, provided volunteers, voluntary organizations, schools. This photos, Cards, military equipment, flags, net, food piece, ratification, awards, souvenirs, children's drawings, amulets, etc..

Autumn 2022 The exhibition "Volunteers act first. Тут. Everywhere.". Using the example of the volunteer movement of Chernihiv, we demonstrated the main areas of activity of volunteers of the region and Ukraine with museum facilities. Assistance to the Armed Forces and TRO in the conditions of hostilities (cooking and delivery to the position, provision of military ammunition, fundraising and acquisition of technical means, repair of equipment, provision of medicines, hygiene products). Assistance to the civilian population in the conditions of the blockade of the city and the lack of critical necessities: arrangement of bomb shelters, food delivery, medicines, water, phone charging. Assistance to communal services, State Emergency Service, hospitals. Organization of delivery of humanitarian goods to the city. Evacuation of people. Helping animals: provision of fodder, medicines. After the de-occupation of the region, Chernihiv volunteers went to help the affected settlements with the most necessary. Joined in helping the affected residents of the city and surrounding villages (demolition of rubble and ruins, reconstruction of destroyed housing, finding funds for the purchase of modular houses). They helped the displaced people.

Objects were exhibited, provided by volunteers and volunteer organizations: світлини, documents, diary entries, flags, ratification, awards, souvenirs, children's drawings and objects, made by volunteers for the Armed Forces.

Recently, the museum opened the exhibition "Chernihiv residents in the fight for Ukraine. Stages of state formation in the 20th - 21st centuries". The final section of the exposition tells about the volunteer movement, which united, strengthened, united the country.

Today, the volunteer movement in Ukraine is enthusiastically talked about in many countries of the world, calling it a unique phenomenon.

Happy holiday to you, dear volunteers! Together to Victory!!!

Lesya Svitlovska, head of the scientific exhibition department