International Day of Charity is an internationally celebrated day on 5 September. It was first introduced by the United Nations. The aim of the International Day of Charity is to raise awareness and give a platform charity activities around the world for charitable, individuals and volunteer organisations at local, national and international levels.
International Day of Charity seeks to enhance social responsibility and increase public support of charitable causes.
History of International Day of Charity
International Day of Charity started in Hungary as a way for the Hungarian Civil Society to enhance visibility, organise charitable events and raise public support for charity.
The day 5 September was chosen to commemorate the passing of Mother Teresa who was known for her dedication to charitable work and gave her life to helping others and overcoming poverty, suffering and distress. Teaching children about the work of Mother Teresa is one way of recognising the importance of the day.
The day was officially declared by the United Nations in 2012 and is part of their 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development which recognises the barriers that poverty places on international development. By encouraging social responsibility on 5th September we will better understand the needs of the most vulnerable to help the international community move forward.
How to get involved with International Day of Charity:
There are so many fun ways to get involved with International Day of Charity, whether that be organising your own event to raise money, volunteering with a local good cause or simply raising awareness for a charitable organisation. It doesn’t matter how much time or money you have to spare since there are lots of different things to do.
Start by having a look at whether your preferred charities or local organisations are running events for the day that you could get involved with.
If not, consider planning your own fundraising event, here are some fun ideas:
- Bake sale — always a super popular idea. Get your kids to bake their favourite cakes and biscuits to sell to raise funds for a chosen charity.
- Fun run — choose a fancy dress theme, so everyone can have a laugh whilst doing exercise and get sponsored for doing it.
- Sponsored Silence — this can be a massive challenge for some kids, and you can get creative with your class choose to communicate with each other for the day.
Why is the International Day of Charity Important?
It reminds us to give back — it’s very easy to live our lives and forget about all the injustices in the world. International Day of Charity helps bring our attention back and raise awareness of all the little ways we can help.
It spreads awareness — International Day of Charity gives a platform to causes that we might otherwise not be aware of as well as giving lots of ways to help these causes.
It helps us find causes we believe in — everyone has different causes they feel really passionate about whether it be animal rights or the environment. By giving a platform to lots of different causes International Day of Charity may help you find a charity you feel really passionate about!
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