Maher Nasser, director of the Outreach Division of the UN Department of Global Communications, delivered the keynote at Mount Kenya University’s Institute of International Development Law and African Studies in Nairobi’s Parklands School of Law.

The event, timed to the International Year of Volunteers 2026, examined how volunteerism and emerging technologies can advance peace and sustainable development, linking community action to the Sustainable Development Goals.

Nasser highlighted Africa’s historic contributions to education and cited Kenya’s M‑Pesa as a digital innovation with global impact.

He called on young people to join the United Nations Volunteers programme, now in its 55th year, emphasizing that volunteering builds practical skills, strengthens communities and cultivates active global citizens.

State Department for Social Protection senior official Wairimu Kamau said volunteer work offers practical experience, professional networks and workplace‑valued skills, and noted that technology can improve recruitment, training and impact tracking while safeguarding personal data.

Kamau praised MKU’s community‑service model and urged universities to embed service hours into curricula, citing the Millennium Fellowship – a UN Academic Impact initiative that trains students in project management and resource mobilisation.

Over the past two years, MKU volunteers have led projects in health, housing, education and other sectors, supported by the Millennium Campus Network Club and the university’s Career Office and School of Social Sciences.

Student beneficiary Ian Mwangi explained that the club connects current and former volunteers for mentorship, resource sharing and expansion of community initiatives.

Participants discussed leveraging technology to strengthen volunteer work in health, education, disability inclusion and environmental conservation, while calling for clearer guidance, formal recognition and broader access to global platforms.

MKU’s hosting of Nasser aligns with its appointment as the United Nations Academic Impact SDG 9 Hub Chair for Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, a five‑year term running from 2025 to 2030 alongside partner institutions in Japan, Spain and Canada.