The “Azaz Volunteer Youth” team has launched a three-month initiative that aims at the restoration of the books of the Cultural Center in the city of Azaz, north of Aleppo, which were damaged as a result of neglect over the past 8 years. This initiative is carried out, with the support of the Local Development Office.

The idea of ​​the initiative came after repeated visits to the cultural center by the members of the team. They noted that many books were subjected to various damages, such as the absence of covers, in addition to the loss of other necessary equipment necessary for the work of the center, according to Ahmed al-Nasser, the director of the center.

Al-Nasser said that the damaged books reform initiative was launched as a result of negligence, and the absence of any sponsoring part that could provide the center with its needs to operate during the past 8 years.

Following a study about the cultural center situation, it became clear that the worn books and the old covers, as well as the lack of some requirements for the work of the center, have negatively affected those who visit the center and the public.

The center contains 30 thousand books, including 1500 in need of maintenance of the outer cover, in addition to books without cover, and others with various damages.

The Azaz Cultural Center is the only entity in the city that offers free culture and reading services in Azaz and its surroundings, and there are no other entities that provide these services in its broad concept.

The “Azaz Volunteer Team” was established two months ago by a group of volunteers active in more than one field in the city of Azaz. The team, which consists of 10 young men, is trying to establish a center in the city and plans to establish a drug control center, and another to rehabilitate the prisoners affected by drugs.

Volunteer work

Volunteering is defined as providing help and effort to work for the welfare of society in general, and its individuals in particular, and it is called voluntary work because a person performs it voluntarily without being forced by others.

The United Nations has designated December 5, of each year as a world day for volunteering, and according to the report of the United Nations Volunteer Program for the year 2018, the number of volunteers in the Arab world has reached 9 million people, constituting 8.2% of the total volunteers in the world, whose number is estimated at 109 million, and who work full-time, as if they were in a paid position.

Volunteer work is a good option for gaining important experience that can have positive results for the volunteer himself and the institution that he is working for. Volunteer work offers new skills, in addition to refining one’s already acquired skills. It also helps to turn free time into a beneficial volunteer activity for himself and society.

Voluntary work has different forms, the most important of which are electronic volunteering through the Internet, comprehensive volunteering around the clock, short-term volunteering, and volunteering within profitable establishments such as companies and institutions to obtain experience, and within government institutions and civil society organizations.