The United Nations (UN)’s International Day of Charity is annually observed across the globe on 5th September to raise awareness about the importance of charity in alleviating humanitarian crises and human suffering and promoting social responsibility.
- The Day also aims to sensitise and mobilise people, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), and stakeholders worldwide to help others through volunteer and philanthropic activities.
- The day also commemorate the death anniversary of Nobel Peace Prize winner Mother Teresa.
Background:
i.On 17 December 2012, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/67/105 and proclaimed the 5th September of every year as the International Day of Charity.
ii.The first-ever International Day of Charity was observed on 5 September 2013.
Why September 5?
5th September was chosen to pay homage to Mother Teresa, also known as Saint Teresa of Calcutta, who passed away on 5 September 1997, in Calcutta (now Kolkata, West Bengal).
Social Impact of Charity:
i.Charity, like the notions of volunteerism and philanthropy, fosters social bonding and strengthens community resilience.
ii.It helps mitigate humanitarian crises and enhances public services in healthcare, education, housing, and child protection.
iii.It promotes the protection of cultural and natural heritage and advocates for the marginalized and underprivileged.
About Mother Teresa:
i.Mother Teresa was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, on 26 August 1910, in Uskup, Ottoman Empire (now Skopje, North Macedonia).
ii.In 1931, she took her initial vows as a nun, and from 1931 to 1948 Mother Teresa taught at Saint Mary’s High School in Calcutta(now Kolkata, West Bengal)
iii.In 1948, she became a citizen of India, and in 1950, she founded the order of “The Missionaries of Charity”.
iv.In 2016, Mother Teresa was canonized, or officially declared as a Saint by Pope Francis. She was given the title “Saint Teresa of Calcutta.”
- She was the patron saint of World Youth Day, the Missionaries of Charity, and co-patron of the Archdiocese of Calcutta.
Awards/Honours:
i.She received numerous awards and distinctions, including:
- The Ramon Magsaysay Award for Peace and International Understanding (1962);
- The Pope John XXIII Peace Prize (1971);
- The Nehru Prize for her promotion of international peace and understanding (1972);
- The Balzan Prize (1979);
- In 1973, Mother Teresa became the first recipient of the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion.
ii.She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 “for her work for bringing help to suffering humanity.”
iii.In 1980, the Government of India (GoI), honoured her with the Bharat Ratna for her Social Work.
