From 20 to 22nd September, the V National Conference of Volunteering and the 1st International Intergenerational Volunteering Course ‘People of all ages contributing to the development’ took place in Lima, Peru, with the participation of Fundació Catalunya Voluntària.
The meeting was attended by more than 150 people, representatives of organizations and volunteering programs throughout the country, most of them connected with the social and health sectors. Also in the field of education and youth empowerment, vulnerable groups and civil protection, together with representatives of universities, companies and experts in the voluntary sector.
Both meetings served to share experiences and offer an integrative, intersectoral and intergenerational point of view on volunteering, as well as to learn about experiences of university social responsibility programs (from the University of the Pacific and the University of San Ignacio de Loyola) and of corporate social responsibility programs (by Calidda).
The conference, under the title ‘Transformational Volunteering and Policies for Development’, served to celebrate the 15 years of CENAVOL-Peru and despite not having the expected number of participants (400) or the total number of foreign speakers (5), since it was not possible for the representatives of Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina to attend, it responded to the expectations of the participants.
The representatives of Catalonia and Venezuela participated and contributed greatly with their experience and points of view. Ms. Iraida Manzanilla, Vice President of the Global Board of IAVE, and Representative of the Latin American region and expert in corporate volunteering, contributed to the understanding of the opportunities that organizations have regarding collaboration with companies, and also offered advice for professionalization of the organizations.
More than a dozen speakers, including Manuel Iguiñez, ex viceMinister of Education of Peru, the current minister of the Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations – MIMP, or presidents of entities such as the Lions Club – Peru or 4X4 of Help – Peru, and the Presidency of the Union of Social Responsibility Latin American University – URSULA, which initiated the series of inspiring lectures, lecturing on University Responsibility.
Lluc Martí shared his vision of volunteering and encouraged to the participants to promote generational change 
within the organizations themselves, creating new, innovative, attractive, inclusive, formative and participative programs where young people can develop their creativity, interests and commitment; challenging organizations to see the capacities of young people as opportunities to adapt to social changes and as a better strategy for the development and improvement of the impact of the entities themselves.
Lluc made two presentations and participated in two debates, together with participants in the course and with representatives of organizations such as United Nations Volunteers in Peru, BCP Volunteers and the National Agrarian University of La Molina. Lluc, concluded by saying “The meeting has served to meet representatives of different organizations and the situation, challenges and opportunities for the promotion and development of volunteering in Peru. The FCV plans to continue collaborating with CENAVOL-Peru in the framework of upcoming national and international activities.”