September 5th is the United Nations’ (UN) International Day of Charity, which promotes charitable efforts made to alleviate poverty worldwide.
Every year, charities all over the world help to save and improve people’s lives, fighting disease, protecting children, and giving hope to many thousands of people. To honour the important work that these many charities do, in 2012 the United Nations decided to nominate an annual International Day of Charity as an official day of recognition and celebration. The reason the date was chosen is because it is the anniversary of the death of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. This choice commemorates the tireless work that Mother Teresa did by devoting her whole life to charity work.
On this International Day of Charity, the United Nations invites all Member States and all international and regional organizations, as well as civil society, including non-governmental organizations and individuals, to commemorate the Day in an appropriate manner, by encouraging charity through education and public awareness-raising activities.