Budding Journos Volunteer To Clean Up Campus

Dhenkanal: With the spirit of inspiring others and advancing transformation in the society, the students, members of the faculty and staff of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Dhenkanal observed the International Volunteer Day in a unique way.

They volunteered to clean up the campus and make it ‘garbage-free’. The mass clean-up drive on the premises of IIMC included uprooting the bushes, collecting plastic and non-plastic trash and separating them for recycling.

International Volunteer Day is observed globally every year on December 5 to show gratitude towards all those people who are working free of charge and helping other people without monetary benefits. This year, the United Nations Volunteers announced its theme as – “Volunteer for an inclusive future”.

“The institute compound was cleaned with the combined efforts of the students and staff,” said Dr Mrinal Chatterjee, Regional Director, IIMC, Dhenkanal. “The institute has been planning voluntary participation programmes on this special day to promote volunteerism and recognise volunteers’ contributions to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”

About 70 students volunteered in this programme and the most important take-away for them was the inspiration to spread the message of giving something back to the society for a brighter future. Jatin Grover, a journalism student, said, “This global observance provides an opportunity to the individuals, public and private sectors to promote volunteerism and we have tried to do our best today in our own way.”

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are meant to build a better world for the future generations also vouch for collective efforts by all in the government and non-government sectors. To achieve the same volunteerism is essential as it can promote a comprehensive socio-economic development of the world.