“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” — Mahatma Gandhi
Community service has a way of changing the people who serve just as much as the communities they support. Ask a young volunteer what they accomplished after a week of service, and they will likely tell you about the water system they helped build, the bags of litter they collected, or the trees they planted. But ask them what they took home, and the answer is often something less tangible and far more lasting.
Across the Global Peace Foundation (GPF) network, young people are discovering that volunteering is more than an opportunity to give back; it is a journey that shapes character, strengthens leadership, and nurtures a lifelong commitment to serving others. Whether working in remote villages, planting trees, or mobilizing communities for environmental action, they learn that peacebuilding is not limited to extraordinary moments. It is also found in everyday acts of service and kindness.
As we celebrate International Youth Day 2026, we reflect on the intangible lessons of volunteerism that remain long after projects end and everyone returns home. These lessons continue to shape the next generation of peacebuilders.
Global Peace Volunteers in Kuala Lipis
The Humility in Service
“One of the most powerful lessons came from water itself. In the city, we take it for granted, but here, it’s survival. Building the dam from scratch helped me understand the effort and struggle behind every drop of clean water.” — Luqman, volunteer, Malaysia
In a world that moves quickly, where success is often measured by personal achievement and instant gratification, service invites young people to pause and see life through a different lens.
This lesson came to life in Malaysia when GPF Malaysia volunteers spent a week with an Orang Asli community to build a gravity-fed water system. The project demanded physical endurance as volunteers carried pipes through muddy forest trails and worked in challenging terrain. Yet the greatest transformation was not only the infrastructure they helped build; it was the perspective they gained.
Living simply without reliable electricity challenged volunteers to think more deeply about comfort, privilege, and necessity. They discovered that meaningful service is less about what we give and more about the relationships we build.
Read more about building the gravity-fed water system in Ulu Semul.
GPF Paraguay plants trees at Plantatón, held at the Linear Park of Asunción’s Costanera Norte
Leadership Begins with Stewardship
“As my first experience with the volunteer team, it was very fulfilling because I felt that I was contributing to both society and the environment. It was also a lot of fun!” — Francisco, volunteer, Paraguay
When we talk about leadership, we often associate it with influence or authority. Volunteering teaches something different: leadership begins with taking responsibility.
At Plantatón 2026 in Paraguay, GPF volunteers joined citizens in restoring green spaces through community-led tree planting. Rather than simply raising awareness about environmental conservation, participants took direct action by planting trees, restoring public spaces, and contributing to a healthier future for their communities.
For many young volunteers, each tree represented more than an environmental contribution. It became a lesson in stewardship. Like leadership itself, nurturing a tree requires patience, consistency, and long-term commitment to something greater than oneself. By working alongside neighbors and local partners, volunteers discovered that meaningful leadership is measured not by recognition, but by the willingness to serve.
Environmental stewardship, in this sense, became an expression of shared responsibility—one that strengthened both communities and the young people helping to shape them.
Read more about Plantatón 2026
GPY and Korean Dream Crew host “plogging” event along the Han River.
Connections Across Differences
“Since coming to Korea, I have often heard the word ‘unification,’ but it always felt vague. Today, by taking part in this activity alongside both South and North Korean youth, I realized that unification is not some distant idea.” — youth volunteer, Korea
Perhaps one of the greatest lessons of volunteering is that working toward a common goal can dissolve barriers that conversation alone cannot.
This was illustrated in South Korea, where young people from diverse backgrounds, including South Korean youth, North Korean escapees, Koryo-jin, overseas Koreans, and international students, participated in a plogging activity along the Han River. Organized by Global Peace Youth and the Korean Dream Crew, the event combined jogging with collecting litter, creating opportunities for participants to connect through shared action rather than shared background.
The initiative supported the broader vision of the One Korea Global Campaign by demonstrating that unity is built not only through dialogue, but also through shared experiences. Picking up litter together may seem like a simple act, yet it created space for trust, friendship, and mutual understanding to grow naturally. It reminded participants that peace is often built through ordinary moments of cooperation.
Read more about Youth Plogging at Han River
While every volunteer program is unique, the lessons they leave behind are remarkably similar.
Service teaches humility by reminding young people that every community has wisdom to share. It develops resilience by pushing them beyond their comfort zones. It cultivates leadership by showing that influence begins with action. It nurtures empathy by helping them see the world through the experiences of others.
Most importantly, service transforms the way young people understand peace. It shows them that peace is built through relationships, shared responsibility, and the willingness to serve something greater than oneself. Every cleanup campaign, every tree planted, every water system built, and every hour spent working alongside a community becomes an opportunity to strengthen the trust and cooperation that peaceful societies depend on.
The projects eventually end. Volunteers return home. The tools are packed away. But the lessons remain.
Across the Global Peace Foundation network, young people are carrying those lessons into their schools, workplaces, neighborhoods, and future careers. They leave with more than memories of what they accomplished. They leave with a renewed understanding that leadership begins with service, character is shaped through action, and peace is built one act of compassion at a time.
As we celebrate International Youth Day, we recommit to supporting young people as partners in peacebuilding and leadership.
