Let 2026 be a year of solidarity in action for a more just world

Let it be a year where volunteers, new and experienced, step forward with curiosity, courage, and care, and where Ireland strengthens its long-standing contribution to a more just, connected, and sustainable world

From left: Palestinian activist Alaa Amro of Service Civil International (Ireland); Dr Caroline Murphy, chief executive of Comhlámh; Dr Chris Millora of Goldsmiths, University of London, at the Irish launch of the UN’s International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development.

When Comhlámh was founded in 1975 by returned development workers, it was rooted in the belief that Ireland’s engagement with the world should be grounded not in charity, but in solidarity. Volunteering is not an act of charity. It is a relationship. It is a way of learning, listening, and acting together in the face of injustice.

Fifty years later, that founding belief feels more urgent than ever. We are living through a period marked by war, forced displacement, genocide, ecological breakdown and deepening inequality. Across the world, human rights are being eroded, and space for civil society is shrinking. The scale of the challenges can feel overwhelming.