On 10th – 11th May the CEV (European Volunteer Centre) General Assembly and Symposium Volunteering for stronger societies through innovation and cross-sector collaboration will take place in Copenhagen.

The European Volunteer Centre (CEV) in the occasion of the event will address the need for increased collaboration through innovative action between voluntary, private and public sectors. Even if the voluntary sector has taken many steps forward recently, also due to the last European Year of Volunteering 2011, there is still much to do to achieve the aim of volunteers and organisations, summarized in the slogan “better communities, stronger societies!”

At this moment, voluntary sector acknowledges the importance of building partnerships between different sectors, approaching the growing interdependence between the state, business sector and civil society with innovative ideas, and increasing collaboration among different actors in the decision making area.

The Symposium will be the occasion for CEV to provide a highly participatory and interactive space for debates, partnership building and expertise exchange, to identify and explore the best use of tools enhancing cross-sector cooperation, and to develop action points for innovation and quality engagement in the voluntary field and society as a whole.

The keynote speakers will include:
•Eva HAMBACH, CEV President
•Finn MORTENSEN, Chairman, The National Knowledge & Development Centre of Volunteering in Denmark
•Pavel TRANTINA Member of the European Economic and Social Committee
•Karen HÆKKERUP, Danish Minister of Social Affairs and Integration
•Christel SCHALDEMOSE, Member of the European Parliament
•John MACDONALD, European Commission
•Terkel ANDERSEN, Director of The National Council for Volunteering (Denmark)
•Antonella VALMORBIDA, Co-Chair of the Steering Committee of Civil Society Forum (CSF)
•Marian JUSTE, Telefonica (Spain)
•Hervé SÉRIEYX, President of the Evaluation and Prospective Committee of France Bénévolat (France)

For further information, please visit http://www.cev.be/153-2012_may_%28copenhagen_denmark%29_volunteering_for_stronger_societies_through_innovation_and_cross_sector_collaboration-EN.html