Sligo 2017: celebrating the great work volunteers do

Sligo, Ireland are delighted to be named the European Volunteering Capital for 2017. Sligo is a County in the North West of Ireland with a population of 68,000 – approximately 40% are urban dwellers and 60% rural dwellers.

This is a huge achievement for the County and its wonderful volunteers. Sligo is the fourth place to receive this designation coming after Barcelona 2014, Lisbon 2015 and London 2016. Volunteering is very much part and parcel of life in Sligo and certainly their contributions enrich the County. 

Plans are already underway for what promises to be a fantastic year. Sligo has attracted a number of National Events, including conferences, award ceremonies and will host an international opening ceremony on 27^th January 2017 in Sligo Town. The opening ceremony is called the ‘Spirit of Sligo’ and features a selection of inspiring volunteer stories and performances by a number of locally acclaimed musicians and artists.

Throughout the year, there are plans for a Volunteer Voices series, which will allow the general public to get involved in ‘Café conversations’ about volunteering under different themes. The annual St. Patrick’s Day parade will be themed European Volunteering Capital and will showcase local Community and Voluntary groups. There will be recognition events for volunteers celebrating the great work they do. Another aim of the year is to increase the involvement of the Corporate sector in volunteering and to offer employers opportunities for their employees to share their skills in the community.

This designation is a fantastic opportunity to promote Sligo on the national and international stage as a great place to volunteer, to live and to work, and also to visit.

To keep on top of the events throughout the year, please check out our website or follow our social media channels, Twitter and Facebook.