EU Ambassador launches Europe Week with volunteer work

EU Ambassador to Tanzania, Tim Clarke (centre), posing for a picture after planting a tree at Msasani Mwisho Primary School in Dar es Salaam where he had participated in a voluntary work to block flood water from entering into classrooms as part of the celebrations to mark the EU Week and European Year for Volunteering. Right is the Kawe Constituency Member of Parliament, Halima Mdee, and left is the Msasani Bonde la Mpunga Local Government Chairman, Philip Mangunga.

Ambassador Tim Clarke and his colleagues of the Delegation of the European Union and EU Embassies today joined volunteers from Zinduka Malaria campaign and local residents to clean and destroy mosquito breeding grounds along Kisutu Street and areas around the Kinondoni TX Market area in Kinondoni district. Kinondoni Hananasifu Councillor, Abbas Tarimba also participated in the event.

They then proceeded to the Msasani Mwisho Primary School where together with the Global Network of Religious Councils (GNRC), the Jane Goodall Tanzania Institute/Roots&Shoots and volunteers from the school and assistance to mitigate the floods that have been persistent for many years at the school. Kawe Constituency Member of Parliament, Halima Mdee also participated in the event. She promised to work hand in hand with the school's management in addressing the flooding problem alongside efforts by other partners as the EU.

The events are part of Europe Week and the European Year for Volunteering.

Ambassador Tim Clarke said: "Volunteering has changed the lives of many and is a precious asset that should be nurtured, and offers a formidable tool to face the many challenges of our world."

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

9^th May is Europe Day. On this day in 1950 the French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman made an important speech that laid the foundations of today’s European Union (EU). Since then, many Europeans have been inspired to work together to achieve peace, security and sustainable development for all their fellow citizens.

Each year the European Council selects a theme for each year around which celebrations to mark the Europe Day are organised in the EU states and partner states. On November 27, 2009 the Council decided that the year 2011 should be declared the European Year for Volunteering with the theme-Volunteer: Make a Difference.

Every year during this time the Delegation of the European Union to Tanzania in collaboration with EU member states launch a series of events around the day to celebrate the Europe Day under different themes as decided by the European Council.

The theme for this year is Volunteering under the theme-Volunteer: Make a Difference. This is because volunteering has become a part and parcel of society and it is truly unimaginable to think of a world without it. Volunteering has saved many lives and so much property in different parts of the world.