Declare St Teresa’s birthday ’Compassion Day’: Mumbai NGO to UN

Mangalore Today News Network

Mumbai, June 28, 2017: A Mumbai-based NGO on June 27, Tuesday urged the United Nations to declare August 26, the birth anniversary of St Teresa of Kolkota, International Compassion Day.

In a statement, Harmony Foundation President Abraham Mathai said compassion is the need of the hour and what better way to have the world observe International Day of Compassion than by celebrating it on the birth anniversary of Mother Teresa, "whose life symbolised compassion, service and hope".

"The Harmony Foundation has decided to celebrate August 26 as the International Day of Compassion to commemorate Mother Teresa’s work among the poorest, hungry, homeless, crippled, lepers and the most unwanted people of society shunned by all. We have written to the UN to likewise declare the day in honour of her selfless services," Mathai said.

The NGO said it will work towards a world of "compassion without border" by launching acts of compassion in India and abroad on August 26.

"We are galvanising school and college students, community members from the rural areas to metro Mumbai to prepare a Care Package for Kashmiri refugees in Mumbai and Syrian and South Sudanese refugees around the world. The package would comprise a small toy, school stationery, dental care items and other essentials," he said.

It has identified NGOs in Jordan and South Sudan and is reaching out to other governments, aid agencies and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to help with the logistics of taking the Care Packages to the intended beneficiaries.

Additionally, in collaboration with several organisations, the NGO is planning long-term sustainable solutions for refugee children, their education, health and rehabilitation.

Since 2005, Harmony Foundation has been hosting Mother Teresa Memorial Awards annually -- the only award in her name approved by the Missionaries of Charity, Kolkata, founded by her in 1950 -- to outstanding people from all over the world who excel in various humanitarian endeavours.

Some of the past recipients of the award include The Dalai Lama and Pakistani girls’ education activist Malala Yousafzai, The White Helmets, Zeenat Shaukat Ali of Pakistan’s Wisdom Foundation and Kashmir’s Rukhsana Kausar.

Mother Teresa was canonized as a Saint on September 4 2016, by Pope Francis.