Charity begins at home but it shouldn’t end there. That is a very popular Scottish saying that we should all be encouraged to live by as we celebrate International Day of Charity.
The International Day of Charity was declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012 after a resolution was adopted in response to a proposal by Hungary to create more awareness on the need for charity and charity connected events around the globe by individuals and organizations alike. The International Day of Charity was first considered as an initiative of the Hungarian civil society in 2011 which was a means of improving social responsibility and community backing for charity through organized events. After the adoption of the resolution which was sponsored alongside 44 United Nations member states, it was agreed by consensus that September 5th will be known as the International Day of Charity. On this day also, which is the anniversary of the death of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, the recipient of Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, the whole world remember her legacy of kindness and humility for work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress, which also constitute a threat to peace.
Charity is arguably one of the most powerful acts of love. When we make acts of charity our civic responsibility, we can also contribute to the achievements of Sustainable Development Goals. We can do this by pushing for collective actions regarding global issues, promoting trust and eliminating socio-cultural barriers and also building community resilience.
The International Day of Charity was created with the goal of sensitizing individuals, NGOs, and stakeholders all around the world to render assistance to those in need either through volunteering work or philanthropic actions. The aim is to help others through volunteering and philanthropic activities. It should be noted that acts of charity are not limited to groups or organizations alone, individuals should be charitable and help those in need. Something as simple as helping children or older people cross a busy road is enough to show compassion and make someone smile. With all the violence and conflict in our world today, it is important to treat people with respect and love so we all don’t lose faith in humanity. Our aim should be to have good hearts like that of Mother Teresa of Calcutta who just gave her all to human race.
We must learn to give without expecting anything, because a part of kindness consists in loving people more than they deserve. As we celebrate today, do something nice for someone; make a stranger smile and remember that we can all rise by lifting others up.
Today more than ever, let these words keep echoing in your mind that:
“Three things in human life are important;
The first is to be kind.
The second is to be kind.
The third is to be kind.”
– Mother Teresa.
Happy International Day of Charity!
