The United Nations (UN) International Day of Charity is annually observed across the globe on 5th September to sensitise and mobilise people, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and stakeholders all around the world to help others through volunteer and philanthropic activities.
- The day recognises the efforts of charitable organisations and individuals, including the work of Mother Teresa.
- The day also seeks to increase social responsibility and enhance public support of charitable causes.
Background:
i.On 17th December 2012, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/67/105 and designated the 5th September of every year, the death anniversary of 1979 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mother Teresa, as the International Day of Charity.
- Mother Teresa, also known as Saint Teresa of Calcutta, passed away on 5th September 1997.
ii.The first-ever International Day of Charity was observed on 5th September 2013.
Significance of Charity:
i.Charity is the notions of volunteerism and philanthropy, which provide real social bonding and contribute to the creation of inclusive and more resilient societies.
ii.Charity can alleviate the worst effects of humanitarian crises, and supplement public services in health care, education, housing, and child protection.
iii.It assists in the advancement of culture, science, sports, and the protection of cultural and natural heritage.
iv.It also promotes the rights of the marginalised and underprivileged and spreads the message of humanity in conflict situations.
About Mother Teresa:
i.Mother Teresa was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in Uskup, Ottoman Empire (now Skopje, North Macedonia), on August 26, 1910.
ii.On May 24, 1931, she took her initial vows as a nun, and from 1931 to 1948 Mother Teresa taught at St. Mary’s High School in Calcutta (now Kolkata, West Bengal).
iii.In 1948, she became an Indian citizen and on October 7, 1950, she founded the “The Missionaries of Charity”, a religious congregation in the Catholic Church, in Calcutta, India.
- In 1965 the Society became an International Religious Family by a decree of Pope Paul VI.
iv.She died on 5 September 1997 at 87 years of age, in Calcutta. She was regarded as a spokesperson for the Vatican City, headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church..
v.Mother Teresa, the Patron Saint of Calcutta and the Missionaries of Charity was Canonized and declared Saint Teresa of Kolkata by Pope Francis on September 4, 2016.
Awards and Honours:
i.The Government of India (GoI) honoured her with the “Bharat Ratna” in 1980 for her humanitarian work.
ii.She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, for work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress, which also constituted a threat to peace.
- However, she refused the Nobel honour banquet and requested the UDS 1,92,000 prize money to be used to help the poor in India.
iii.Her work has been recognised and acclaimed throughout the world and she has received a number of awards and distinctions, including the:
- Pope John XXIII Peace Prize (1971); Nehru Prize for her promotion of international peace and understanding (1972); Balzan Prize (1979).
- She received the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1962. She also received the inaugural Templeton Prize in 1973.
