International Day of Charity 2026: History, Meaning, Theme, Quotes and How to Observe

International Day of Charity 2026 is being observed worldwide on Saturday, Sept. 5, with the United Nations using the annual observance to highlight the role of charity, volunteering and philanthropy in helping people facing poverty, humanitarian crises and other forms of hardship.

The date has particular significance because it marks the anniversary of the death of Mother Teresa, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning nun whose work among the poor became closely associated with the modern meaning of charitable service.

The United Nations General Assembly formally designated Sept. 5 as the International Day of Charity in 2012 through Resolution A/RES/67/105.

What Is International Day of Charity?

The United Nations created the observance to encourage people, governments, nongovernmental organizations and other stakeholders to take part in charitable and philanthropic activities.

The UN says charity can help alleviate humanitarian crises and human suffering while also encouraging solidarity and cooperation across communities and countries.

Volunteering, giving time and skills, community service and other forms of support are also part of the observance.

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described charity as encompassing everything from donations to volunteer engagement and acts of caring and kindness, saying such expressions of solidarity can contribute to a more peaceful future.

Why Is International Day of Charity Celebrated on September 5?

September 5 was selected to commemorate the death anniversary of Mother Teresa, who died on Sept. 5, 1997, at age 87.

Born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in 1910, Mother Teresa moved to India and devoted decades to serving poor, sick, orphaned and dying people.

She founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta in 1950, and the organization later expanded internationally.

She received the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize for her work in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress.

In her Nobel acceptance speech, she spoke about serving people who were poor, homeless and marginalized and emphasized treating them with dignity and respect.

What Is the International Day of Charity 2026 Theme?

There is no officially announced United Nations theme for International Day of Charity 2026.

Some websites have published suggested or informal themes for the 2026 observance, but the UN’s current International Day of Charity material does not identify an official 2026 theme.

This distinction is important for readers because presenting an unofficial phrase as the UN’s official theme would be misleading.

Instead, the UN’s current messaging emphasizes charity as a form of global responsibility, with particular attention to poverty, humanitarian needs, vulnerable communities and sustainable development.

How Can People Observe International Day of Charity 2026?

People do not have to make a large financial donation to participate.

The emphasis is on meaningful action rather than the size of a donation.

Checking how an organization uses donations and choosing reputable charities can also help people make informed giving decisions.

International Day of Charity Quotes

Ban Ki-moon, in his 2014 message for the observance, called charity a “noble enterprise aimed at bettering the human condition” and urged people to act on the charitable impulse to give and continue giving.

Mother Teresa also linked service with dignity and compassion.

In her 1979 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, she said poor people “need our understanding love” and stressed that they should be treated with respect and dignity.

• Anne Frank: “No one has ever become poor by giving.”
• Winston Churchill: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
• Mother Teresa: “It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.”
• Francis of Assisi: “For it is in giving that we receive.”
• Mahatma Gandhi: “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
• Maya Angelou: “When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”

International Day of Charity Matters Till Date

The observance comes at a time when charitable organizations remain an important part of responses to poverty, disasters, conflict and other humanitarian emergencies.

The UN has also emphasized that charity is not a replacement for public spending or government responsibility.

Rather, philanthropy and volunteer action can complement broader efforts to address social and humanitarian challenges.