What is International Day of Charity and how did it begin?
International Day of Charity was created by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012 and is observed every year on the 5th of September. The main purpose of the day is to raise awareness of charitable activities that are taking place around the world. It provides a platform for individuals and organisations to share their charitable causes and to raise awareness and assistance.
It originated in Hungary in 2011 as a civil society initiative to encourage social responsibility and to increase public support for charitable causes. The 5th of September was chosen as the date for the event as it is the anniversary of the death of Mother Theresa who was known for her work to overcome poverty. After Hungary submitted a proposal to the UN General Assembly in 2012, 44 member states agreed to adopt the movement as an International Day.
Why is International Day of Charity Important?
The observation of this day gives us all a chance to acknowledge the social and charitable work that is going on around us. It reminds us to give back and help out. It is important that we refocus and bring our attention to those less fortunate than ourselves and take the opportunity to help.
International Day of Charity also gives a voice to causes that we may not have heard of by giving them a platform. We are all aware of large charitable organisations but perhaps we need to look out for smaller, local causes that may not get as much attention or funding.
By giving these smaller causes a platform, we could find a cause that we’re truly passionate about that we may have never heard of before.
How can you get involved?
If you already have a charity or cause in mind, have a look on their website to see if they have any upcoming events that you can get involved with. Or, keep an eye on social media on the 5th of September and look out for hashtags such as #InternationalCharityDay2021.
It’s also worthwhile having a look at Foundations Scotland. They are a charitable trust who’s aim is to connect charitable organisations and causes with the funding that they need to fulfil their purpose. Have a look at their website (https://www.foundationscotland.org.uk/) to see if there is a project you could get involved with.
Remember that if you are a UK tax payer, you can Gift Aid your donation. This means that the cause you have donated to can claim back an extra 25p per £1 you have donated from HMRC. This doesn’t cost you any more money but means that the charity can claim a little more for their cause.
Maybe you’ve been meaning to make a donation to a cause for a while but keep forgetting, use this blog post as your reminder! Remember that each donation to a charity or cause matters and has an impact no matter how big or small.
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