 "A sand scupture on Mother Teresa")
A sand scupture on Mother Teresa
The International Day of Charity is observed annually on September 5 in honour of Mother Teresa. This day was established by the General Assembly of the United Nations to educate individuals, NGOs, and stakeholders about the significance of participating in charitable causes.
It serves as an important chance to unite people in support of good causes and contribute to the welfare of the most vulnerable members of society. The winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, Mother Teresa, died on September 5, 1997, at the age of 87. She was known for helping the distressed and needy.
She started the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata (Calcutta) in 1950 to help the underprivileged and dying. For over 45 years, she served the sick, orphaned and impoverished while guiding the expansion of her organisation both in India and internationally.
International Day of Charity: History
The International Day of Charity was established in 2012 by the United Nations to honour and acknowledge the work of organisations engaged in global humanitarian efforts. The date of September 5 was chosen as the anniversary of Mother Teresa’s death.
This day not only honours her lifetime commitment to giving back to society, but it also draws attention to the work that many organisations do all over the world and encourages the general public to participate by making donations, volunteering, and spreading awareness for important reasons.
In 1950, Mother Teresa founded the ‘Missionaries of Charity’. This international community takes unique vows to serve “the poorest of the poor” and vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
International Day of Charity 2024: Significance
The International Day of Charity aims to raise awareness of social responsibility on a global scale, support for charitable endeavours, and global solidarity. This day gives a unique opportunity to people, associations, and organisations to take part in charity across the world.
The United Nations founded the day to highlight the UN’s significant part in supporting humanitarian attempts all over the globe, particularly on this specific date. The United Nations focuses on the crucial job of charity and inspires community action towards awareness raising events, educational projects, and donation drives.
International Day of Charity: Top 10 Quotes by Mother Teresa
• If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
• Peace begins with a smile.
• We fear the future because we are wasting today.
• Do not think that love in order to be genuine has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired.
• The most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved.
• It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.
• Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.
• Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.
• Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.
• Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.
First Published: Sep 05 2024 | 11:49 AM IST
