Background
International Day of Charity is celebrated globally on the 5th of September on an annual basis.
It was founded through a Hungarian civil society initiative with the support of the Hungarian Parliament and Government in 2011. In 2012, International Day of Charity was declared as an official event by the United Nations General Assembly.
According to the United Nations: “The date of 5 September was chosen in order to commemorate the anniversary of the passing away of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 ‘for work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress, which also constitute a threat to peace’”.
Why is International Day of Charity important?
According to the United Nations: “Charity, like the notions of volunteerism and philanthropy, provides real social bonding and contributes to the creation of inclusive and more resilient societies.
Charity can alleviate the worst effects of humanitarian crises, supplement public services in health care, education, housing and child protection. It assists the advancement of culture, science, sports, and the protection of cultural and natural heritage. It also promotes the rights of the marginalised and underprivileged and spreads the message of humanity in conflict situations.”
Charity is one of few ways to help people and countries in need of help, as a result of:
- Natural disasters,
- Poverty,
- Lack of food, water and access to other basic necessities.
How do I join in International Day of Charity?
You can join in International Day of Charity by:
- Sharing on social media – By sharing this article and other articles and information which details why International Day of Charity is so important and what you, your family or your business are doing to join in today. By doing this you will also encourage others to join in and to provide support.
- Join an event hosted by a local charity – You can check with your preferred charity if they have organised any local events and join in the festivities or make a family day out of it.
- Volunteer to help – You can help your local charity organisations by volunteering in a capacity where both your personal and professional skills can be utilised to aid the work that your local charity is focused on.
- Donate to charity – By donating to a charity, you are supporting them and assisting the charity with the work that they do. If you have a charity day at work you can organise an event in order to collect money for charity.