Israeli ambassador and Palestinian delegate attend VSI's 40th birthday

"I am in it for the power," declared Eddie Manning who trains youth leaders, "but also for the money" he added to hoots of laughter.

That got progressively louder as he remarked that "people expect wonderful words of wisdom . . . but they don't know me".

The occasion was the 40th birthday party of Voluntary Service Ireland (VSI), held in the gardens of the Glencree Centre for Reconciliation in the Wicklow mountains yesterday.

In an informal ceremony in which Israeli ambassador to Ireland Danniel Maggido and delegate general of the Palestinian Authority Ali Halimeh planted a tree, a large contingent of current volunteers from around the world helped the Irish "veterans" celebrate 40 years of "non-political, inter- cultural" volunteerism.

Recalling the organisation's Irish launch in Dublin in 1965, Gerry Brady said the organisation "never even had members, I never signed anything. We were just a variety of people from different social backgrounds who were brought together by Conrad and Dorothea Lesser."

Under a decade after setting up voluntary projects in Dublin Corporation slums in the city's Benburb Street among other projects, VSI Ireland added conflict resolution to its activities and began supporting the then Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation near Enniskerry.

Since then, there has been an almost permanent presence of volunteers in Glencree, mainly young people from international backgrounds, who cook, clean, decorate and learn about the centre's role in the Northern peace process, as well as helping in its role in that process.

Irish people also volunteer for projects abroad. Barbara Gill, who was involved with a project in India in the 1980s, yesterday said it was a defining experience.

"I shouldn't say life-changing, but it was of course. We were involved in development education, inter-culturalism and sustainability long before those words ever became popular".

Mr Maggido said Glencree was a suitably symbolic place in which to hold the party while Mr Halimeh said people around the world, including Palestinians and Israelis, "need to understand your message very well".

Ian White, executive director of the Glencree centre, also paid tribute to VSI, saying the centre "just would not have survived without them".

Further information about VSI is available at www.vsi.ie