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International Day of Charity​

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The International Day of Charity is observed annually on 5 September. It was declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012. The prime purpose of the International Day of Charity is to raise awareness and provide a common platform for charity related activities all over the world for individuals, charitable, philanthropic and volunteer organizations for their own purposes on the local, national, regional and international level.

The International Day of Charity was conceived as a Hungarian civil society initiative supported by the Hungarian Parliament and Government in 2011,[1] to enhance visibility, organize special events, and in this way to increase solidaritysocial responsibility and public support for charity.

September 5 was chosen in order to commemorate the anniversary of the passing away of Mother Teresa of Calcutta,[2] who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 "for work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress, which also constitute a threat to peace."[3]

On 17 December 2012, in response to a proposal by Hungary,[4] the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution[5] by consensus to designate 5 September as the International Day of Charity. The resolution was co-sponsored by 44 UN Member States (AlbaniaAngolaAustraliaBelarusBosnia and HerzegovinaBulgariaCambodiaChileCroatiaDominican RepublicEritreaEstoniaGeorgiaGreeceGuatemalaHondurasHungaryIndiaIrelandIsraelItalyJordanKazakhstanKyrgyzstanLatviaLebanonLithuaniaLuxembourgMacedoniaMadagascarMaltaMontenegroPakistanPolandRepublic of CyprusRepublic of KoreaRomaniaSerbiaSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaThailandTurkeyUkraine)[6] representing all five Regional Groups of the United Nations.

In its resolution, the General Assembly invited Member States, organizations of the United Nations system and other international and regional organizations, stakeholders, as well as NGOs of the civil society, to commemorate the International Day of Charity in an appropriate manner, by encouraging charity, including through education and public awareness-raising activities.

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JANUARY

27 January

International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust (A/RES/60/7)

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FEBRUARY

4 February

World Cancer Day

6 February

International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation  

11 February

International Day of Women and Girls in Science 

13 February

World Radio Day  

20 February

World Day of Social Justice   

21 February

International Mother Language Day  

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MARCH

1 March

Zero Discrimination Day  [UNAIDS]

3 March

World Wildlife Day  (A/RES/68/205)

8 March

International Women's Day 

20 March

International Day of Happiness  (A/RES/66/281)

20 March

French Language Day (French)

21 March

International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination  (A/RES/2142 (XXI))

21 March

World Poetry Day (UNESCO 30 C/Resolution 29)

21 March

International Day of Nowruz  (A/RES/64/253)

21 March

World Down Syndrome Day  (A/RES/66/149

21 March

International Day of Forests  (A/RES/67/200)

22 March

World Water Day  (A/RES/47/193)

23 March

World Meteorological Day  [WMO] WMO/EC-XII/Res.6

24 March

World Tuberculosis Day  [WHO]  

24 March

International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims  (A/RES/65/196)

25 March

International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade  (A/RES/62/122)

25 March

International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members

APRIL

2 April

World Autism Awareness Day  (A/RES/62/139)

4 April

International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action  (A/RES/60/97)

6 April

International Day of Sport for Development and Peace  (A/RES/67/296)

7 April

International Day of Reflection on the Genocide in Rwanda (A/RES/58/234)

7 April

World Health Day  [WHO]  (WHA/A.2/Res.35)

12 April

International Day of Human Space Flight  (A/RES/65/271)

20 April

Chinese Language Day (Chinese)

21 April

World Creativity and Innovation Day (A/RES/71/284)

22 April

International Mother Earth Day  (A/RES/63/278)

23 April

World Book and Copyright Day  (UNESCO 28 C/Resolution 3.18)

23 April

English Language Day 

23 April

Spanish Language Day (Spanish)

25 April

World Malaria Day [WHO]

26 April

International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day (A/RES/71/125)

26 April

World Intellectual Property Day [WIPO]

28 April

World Day for Safety and Health at Work

29 April

Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare (OPCW C-10/5)

30 April

International Jazz Day (UNESCO 36 C/Resolution 39)

30 April

"Vesak", the Day of the Full Moon (A/RES/54/115)

MAY

2 May

World Tuna Day (A/RES/71/124)

3 May

World Press Freedom Day (UNESCO 26 C/Resolution 4.3)

8-9 May

Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives During the Second World War  (A/RES/59/26)

10 May

World Migratory Bird Day  [UNEP]

15 May

International Day of Families  (A/RES/47/237)

16 May

International Day of Living Together in Peace (A/RES/72/130, draft A/72/L.26)

17 May

World Telecommunication and Information Society Day  (A/RES/60/252ITU Resolution 68/2006)

20 May

World Bee Day (A/RES/72/211, draft A/C.2/72/L.32)

21 May

World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development  (A/RES/57/249)

22 May

International Day for Biological Diversity  (A/RES/55/201)

23 May

International Day to End Obstetric Fistula  (A/RES/67/147)

29 May

International Day of UN Peacekeepers  (A/RES/57/129)

31 May

World No-Tobacco Day [WHO] (WHA Resolution 42.19)

JUNE

1 June

Global Day of Parents  (A/RES/66/292)

4 June

International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression  (A/RES/ES-7/8)

5 June

World Environment Day (A/RES/2994 (XXVII))

5 June

International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (A/RES/72/72, draft A/72/L.12)

6 June

Russian Language Day (Russian)

8 June

World Oceans Day  (A/RES/63/111)

12 June

World Day Against Child Labour

13 June

International Albinism Awareness Day (A/RES/69/170)

14 June

World Blood Donor Day  [WHO]  (WHA Resolution 58.13)

15 June

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day  (A/RES/66/127)

16 June

International Day of Family Remittances (GC 38/Resolution 189)

17 June

World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought   (A/RES/49/115)

18 June

Sustainable Gastronomy Day (A/RES/71/246)

19 June

International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict (A/RES/69/293)

20 June

World Refugee Day  (A/RES/55/76)

21 June

International Day of Yoga  (A/RES/69/131

23 June

United Nations Public Service Day  (A/RES/57/277)

23 June

International Widows' Day  (A/RES/65/189)

25 June

Day of the Seafarer  [IMO]  (STCW/CONF.2/DC.4)

26 June

International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking  (A/RES/42/112)

26 June

United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture  (A/RES/52/149)

27 June

Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day (A/RES/71/279)

29 June

International Day of the Tropics (A/RES/70/267)

30 June

International Asteroid Day (A/RES/71/90)

JULY

1 July (first Saturday in July)

International Day of Cooperatives  (A/RES/47/90)

11 July

World Population Day  (UNDP decision 89/46 15, A/RES/45/216)

15 July

World Youth Skills Day (A/RES/69/145)

18 July

Nelson Mandela International Day  (A/RES/64/13)

28 July

World Hepatitis Day  [WHO]

30 July

International Day of Friendship  (A/RES/65/275)

30 July

World Day against Trafficking in Persons  (A/RES/68/192)

AUGUST

9 August

International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples  (A/RES/49/214)

12 August

International Youth Day  (A/RES/54/120)

19 August

World Humanitarian Day  (A/RES/63/139)

21 August

International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism (A/RES/72/165, draft A/C.3/72/L.24)

23 August

International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition [UNESCO]  (29 C/Resolution 40)

29 August

International Day against Nuclear Tests   (A/RES/64/35)

30 August

International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances  (A/RES/65/209)

SEPTEMBER

5 September

International Day of Charity  (A/RES/67/105

8 September

International Literacy Day  (UNESCO 14 C/Resolution 1.441)

10 September

World Suicide Prevention Day [WHO]

12 September

United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation  (A/RES/58/220)

15 September

International Day of Democracy  (A/RES/62/7)

16 September

International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer  (A/RES/49/114)

21 September

International Day of Peace  (A/RES/36/67)  (A/RES/55/282)

23 September

International Day of Sign Languages (A/RES/72/161, draft A/C.3/72/L.36/Rev.1)

26 September

International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons  (A/RES/68/32)

27 September

World Tourism Day

28 September

International Day for Universal Access to Information [UNESCO] (38 C/70)

28 September

World Rabies Day [WHO]

28 September (last Thursday of September)

World Maritime Day (IMCO/C XXXVIII/21)

30 September

International Translation Day (A/RES/71/288)

OCTOBER

1 October

International Day of Older Persons  (A/RES/45/106)

2 October

International Day of Non-Violence  (A/RES/61/271)

2 October (first Monday in October)

World Habitat Day  (A/RES/40/202 A)

5 October

World Teachers’ Day  [UNESCO]  (27 C/INF.7)

9 October

World Post Day  (UPU/1969/Res.C.11)

10 October

World Mental Health Day [WHO]

11 October

International Day of the Girl Child  (A/RES/66/170)

13 October

International Day for Disaster Reduction (A/RES/64/200)

15 October

International Day of Rural Women  (A/RES/62/136)

16 October

World Food Day  [FAO]  (A/RES/35/70)

17 October

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty  (A/RES/47/196)

20 October (every five years, beginning in 2010)

World Statistics Day (A/RES/69/282)

24 October

United Nations Day  (A/RES/168 (II); A/RES/2782 (XXVI))

24 October

World Development Information Day  (A/RES/3038 (XXVII))

27 October

World Day for Audiovisual Heritage  (UNESCO 33/C/Resolution 53)

31 October

World Cities Day  (A/RES/68/239)

NOVEMBER

2 November

International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists  (A/RES/68/163)

5 November

World Tsunami Awareness Day (A/RES/70/203)

6 November

International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict  (A/RES/56/4)

10 November

World Science Day for Peace and Development (UNESCO 31 C/Resolution 20)

14 November

World Diabetes Day  (A/RES/61/225)

16 November

International Day for Tolerance  (UNESCO 28 C/Resolution 5.61A/RES/51/95)

16 November (third Thursday in November)

World Philosophy Day (UNESCO 33 C/Resolution 37)

19 November

World Toilet Day  (A/RES/67/291)  

19 November (third Sunday in November)

World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims  (A/RES/60/5)

20 November

Africa Industrialization Day  (A/RES/44/237)

20 November

Universal Children’s Day (A/RES/836(IX))

21 November

World Television Day  (A/RES/51/205)

25 November

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women  (A/RES/54/134)

29 November

International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People  (A/RES/32/40B)

DECEMBER

1 December

World AIDS Day

2 December

International Day for the Abolition of Slavery (A/RES/317(IV))

3 December

International Day of Persons with Disabilities (A/RES/47/3)

5 December

International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development  (A/RES/40/212)

5 December

World Soil Day (A/RES/68/232)

7 December

International Civil Aviation Day (A/RES/51/33)

9 December

International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime (A/RES/69/323

9 December

International Anti-Corruption Day  (A/RES/58/4)

10 December

Human Rights Day  (A/RES/423 (V))

11 December

International Mountain Day  (A/RES/57/245)

12 December

International Day of Neutrality (A/RES/71/275)

12 December

International Universal Health Coverage Day (A/RES/72/138, draft A/72/L.27)

18 December

International Migrants Day  (A/RES/55/93)

18 December

Arabic Language Day (Arabic)

20 December

International Human Solidarity Day  (A/RES/60/209)

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