Born on September 5
International Day of Charity
Give something. Anything.
Next: September 5, 2027
Where it comes from
The United Nations General Assembly declared 5 September the International Day of Charity in 2012, on a proposal from Hungary. The date is the anniversary of the death in 1997 of Mother Teresa, who spent half a century working with the poorest people of Kolkata and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.
How it's celebrated
Charities run donation drives and volunteer days; companies match staff giving; schools collect for a cause. The UN uses the day to link charity to the Sustainable Development Goals. Many people simply give to something they have been meaning to support.
Did you know
Mother Teresa's order, the Missionaries of Charity, began in 1950 with twelve members and now runs hundreds of missions in more than 130 countries.
Read the full story of International Day of Charity
Star sign
Virgo · August 23 – September 22 · Earth sign
Careful and kind, the one who notices what everyone else missed.