The Pedro Arrupe International Volunteer Program (VOLPA) celebrates its 30th anniversary.

The Pedro Arrupe International Volunteer Program VOLPA is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2021. This long-term international volunteer program was born in 1991 inspired by the legacy of Pedro Arrupe. His call to go out to meet other cultures and to change the unjust structures that generate suffering in our world was undoubtedly the flame that ignited this dream that today looks back to be grateful for so much transformed life.

During this time more than 1,000 people have participated in this international volunteer program that emerged as a volunteer network of the Society of Jesus in its different Provinces in Spain. Throughout its history, this program has been promoted by Volpa Catalunya, Entreculturas and Alboan and currently, it is the last two that coordinate to give continuity to the program.

To celebrate this 30th anniversary, a recreational meeting was organized to which many people linked to the program were invited: volunteers of these three decades, trainers, companions, local host organizations in Latin America, Africa and Europe, VOLPA in training, the people who have coordinated the program in these years of Alboan, Entreculturas and VOLPA Catalunya, as well as some of the founders and staff of the cooperation organizations involved in the training process.

Finally, more than 220 people gathered online in March to celebrate and thank all that this experience of international volunteering has meant in their lives, and for many it has been "a lever of change that has marked our lives" as Gerardo Molpeceres commented, who was VOLPA in Ecuador and today is a trainer and volunteer of Entreculturas.

Jesuitas España