2013 SU Update: Council of Europe discusses Volunteer Training in Kazan

KAZAN – The Council of Europe seminar on volunteer training at large-scale events took place on May 30th in Kazan. The seminar, organized by the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS), Youth and Sport Directorate of the Council of Europe, Ministry of Sports, Tourism and Youth Policy of the Russian Federation under the auspices of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate, gathered participants from Russia, Kazakhstan, Italy, Armenia, Monaco, Serbia, Poland and other European countries in the conference hall of the Grand Hotel.

«A great number of large sporting events will be held in Russia in the near future», Alexey Morozov, Deputy Director of the Department of State Policy in Sports and Sports Achievements under the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Tourism said. «We understand that volunteer training is a hard work and I’m happy that we are starting here, in the capital of the 27th Summer Universiade.»

The seminar participants discussed the methodological basis for volunteer coordination, exchanged positive experiences and knowledge of various volunteer projects and shared solutions in management and implementation of volunteer programmes.

As EPAS Executive Secretary Stanislas Frossard stated, the seminar is the first experience undertaken by the Council of Europe. «It’s an initiatory step in implementation of any large event», Stanislas Frossard said.

It’s noteworthy that the seminar proceeded in a businesslike, but at the same time friendly atmosphere, favorable for communication. Before the start of the work, the event’s managers offered the participants to get acquainted with each other: the seminar’s moderator encouraged them to ask each other questions on their volunteer experience and express opinions on volunteership.

The two-day seminar featured presentations of volunteer programmes implemented by the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate, Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee, UEFA Euro 2012 Poland-Ukraine, Marocchi-Martellini National Football Championship, etc.

(Source: Media Department of Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate)