A UN day highlighting the role of charitable and voluntary work in addressing poverty and humanitarian crises worldwide.
Date5 September
TopicHuman Rights & Equality
Established2012
Ways to observe this day
Donate to a trusted local charity
Volunteer a few hours of your time
Organize a small giving drive among friends or colleagues
Teach children the value of giving through a family activity
The UN General Assembly designated September 5 as the International Day of Charity through resolution 67/105 in 2012. The date marks the anniversary of the death of Mother Teresa, who devoted her life to serving the poor and sick in India and passed away on this day in 1997.
The day aims to raise awareness of the role charity plays in alleviating human suffering, easing material poverty, and building more inclusive and resilient societies. It also provides a shared platform for individuals, charitable organizations, and volunteer groups to promote their work at local, national, and international levels.
Around the world, NGOs and charitable foundations mark the day with donation drives and volunteer events, while the UN uses it to remind member states of philanthropy's role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, foremost among them the eradication of poverty.