Unveiling the official logo for International Volunteer Year 2026

More than five hundred designs from around the globe competed for the honour of becoming the official logo for the International Volunteer Year 2026. This logo competition, held from 5 December 2024 to 12 January 2025, sought to find a design that would perfectly align with United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/78/127 and serve as the ideal emblem for IVY 2026. Today, on the World Day of Social Justice, United Nations Volunteers unveils the selected logo and the creative vision behind it.

The selected logo was designed by Stefan Peters, a freelance designer from Germany. His creation met all the criteria, showcasing originality and visual appeal. The logo's clarity ensures it can be reproduced seamlessly across various dimensions and scales. Most importantly, it effectively symbolizes the role of volunteerism in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

The logo I have created for the International Volunteer Year 2026 depicts a stylised hand consisting of the letters “IVY”. Volunteering is close to my heart, and through the logo, I wanted to symbolize the hands of millions of volunteers who care about our world and our future.” Stefan Peters, designer of the logo.

All 500 logo submissions went through a selection process giving careful consideration to the criteria. UNV's internal jury and some 9,000 serving UN Volunteers voted to select the winning design. 

This logo will serve as the global symbol for IVY 2026, celebrating the invaluable contributions of volunteers worldwide and highlighting their essential role in fostering sustainable development." Toily Kurbanov, UNV Executive Coordinator.

The official logo will be part of the visual identity of IVY 2026 and is available on Trello in several formats and the six United Nations languages.  

The three other runner-up logos were from Indonesia, Nigeria and Sri Lanka.