"I want" = I care and I act

By Stavris Attouni:

Volunteering = the organized offer of services to society as a whole without the requirement of consideration (Babiniotis G., Dictionary of the Modern Greek Language, 2005)

Have we ever wondered how important volunteering is in a society? The Apostolos Pavlos Foundation, the KEPA Agios Christoforos, the blood donors, the local committee of the Famagusta Cancer Association and various cultural associations are just a few examples of important and successful voluntary organizations.

As a result, mentally retarded adults receive day care, seniors are housed in a nursing home, dozens of families receive the Love Basket, our fellow human beings save lives through blood donation or offer palliative and supportive care to a cancer patient and culture.

Historically, Cypriot society relies heavily on both individual and collective / organized volunteering. Without the volunteers, many local and Cypriot community support programs would not work. Of course, the generous help that every Cypriot gives to his fellow man and many times to other peoples is well known.

Has the voluntary offer of Cypriots changed in recent years? I'm certainly not an expert in answering this question, but a number of posts, interviews and personal experience convince us that volunteering has declined. While at a younger age I actively participated as a volunteer, in recent years my volunteer offer is very small, which made me very worried.

Most of us will cite dozens of reasons such as εργασία work, family, children, "it is not my responsibility, it is the responsibility of the state" and many other excuses.

But where will we go? Will we be led to social apathy?

Fortunately, however, there are several exceptions among the younger generation, ie people who consider that offering to society as a whole is their own responsibility. People who, despite the modern individualistic era, choose to selflessly contribute to events, charity and volunteer work. The goal of the rest of us must be practical support for them and our reactivation as volunteers and active citizens without the demand for compensation. Let volunteering stay away from personal ambitions, party interventions and control, serving the interests of foreigners to volunteering and financial interests.

The purpose of this text is not to suggest solutions but to cause concern to all of us who care about our society and consequently our family. Reflection may "force" some of us to get up from our couch, to diversify our daily lives, to offer and in this way to reduce social apathy.

I care and I act!

Stavri Attouni
Active Citizen Savior