International Day of Charity

By Our Special Correspondent

Originally an initiative of Hungarian civil society to commemorate the death of Mother Teresa, International Day of Charity began worldwide on September 5 when the UN declared it an international holiday in 2012.

In addition to honoring Mother Teresa's tireless efforts to help others overcome poverty and suffering, the holiday provides a platform for charitable opportunities. If you can't make a financial donation on September 5, there are still many ways to get involved, including buying gifts that give back to charities.

Overall, today reminds us that simple voluntary actions can mitigate the worst effects of humanitarian crises and create more inclusive and resilient societies.

Mother Mary Teresa Bozakciu was born on August 26, 1910 in the Ottoman Empire and committed to religious life at the age of 12.

She had always been fascinated by missionaries, especially those in India, and left home at 18 to learn English and become a missionary in Ireland. She later moved to India, where she learned Bengali and took religious vows to become a Catholic nun.

Her volunteer work really began in 1948, when she received Indian citizenship and worked with the country's poorest people. In the coming years, she opened several dharamshalas, established a society, and established leper homes and orphanages.

Her community attracted many recruits and donors, and she took her good work around the world, founding many branches of her charity.

Mother Teresa, who died in 1997, after 45 years of dedicated volunteer work, will be remembered as a woman of great faith and unparalleled philanthropy.

In fact, she left such a legacy, as the Hungarian Parliament and Government established an International Day of Charity in her honor in 2011. They chose September 5, the anniversary of her death, to commemorate her life with their civic service initiative.

The United Nations quickly started the holiday, and by 2012 it had spread worldwide. The UN established it to recognize the charitable work of all organizations, including the work of Mother Teresa, and to highlight the power of philanthropy in reducing humanitarian crises and human suffering.

The critical goals established by the UN help guide the charitable work we must engage in – people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership. On September 5th we can honor Mother Teresa's work by giving ourselves the joy of charity!