World NGO Day 2024 is a day designated as a special occasion to appreciate the great work done worldwide by volunteer non-governmental organizations (NGOs). World NGO Day was established in 2010 and commemorated in 2012. On the event’s website, the EU, UN, and other international organizations celebrated World NGO Day for the first time in 2014. 

According to the online portal, this is the inspiration of the brainchild of the British philanthropist Marcis Skadmanis from Latvia. NGOs are immensely important in the global arena for peacebuilding, human rights protection, and sustainable development.

First, Let’s Know About NGOs!

NGOs are usually separate and non-profit organizations, with most operational at the local, national or international level to deal with social, environmental and humanitarian challenges. They are the forces of change that drive the motion of society; they inspire cooperation, advocacy and public awareness. 

As World NGO Day comes along, it is an opportunity to increase the realization of the great work NGOs are doing and to also push for the support of individuals and communities to the NGOs’ efforts. 

Also, NGOs create avenues for dialogue among communities and government officials to promote bilateral exchange of information between the two parties for better planning and implementation of policies and programs. In the end, the NGOs act as critical forces of progress and transformation in the social arena.

World NGO Day, which is celebrated every 27th of every February, is a day dedicated to NGOs and the reasons why NGOs are crucial globally. This day is when people acknowledge and applaud the valuable contribution NGOs make in resolving social problems, supporting the weaker members of society and creating the circumstances for positive changes. It is the time we ought to value the sacrifices of people and organizations that are never seen in action, in which they work hard for social transformation.

World NGO Day is an important day when people recall and appreciate highly the invaluable service provided globally by NGOs in all corners of the world, and therefore, together build a better, fairer, and more caring world.

Now, let’s dig deeper into the history and meaning of World NGO Day 2024.

What is the date for the World NGO Day 2024?

The NGOs from all sides of the globe celebrate it every year on February 27, 2023. This year, World NGO Day will be celebrated with the slogan “the role and power of NGOs to assure human rights, the resolution of social and environmental problems, and the target realization of the sustainable development goals”.

What is the theme for the World NGO Day 2024?

“Building a Sustainable Future: “NGOs Role in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)” is the subject for World NGO Day 2024. It highlights the crucial role that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) play in promoting and improving global sustainability. Sustainable development goals are unavoidably in the forefront due to their increasingly important role in exposing the numerous issues facing our day. 

This theme emphasizes and appreciates the efforts of NGOs in solving important challenges like poverty and health, inequality, and care of the environment. NGOs play a crucial role in accomplishing SDGs, and the premium given to them makes it evident that they are working 24/7 to achieve a healthy society worldwide. It thus becomes imperative for all of us to act together and to work in tandem to construct a future where sustainability and social responsibility are taken as the first principles in global development.

World NGO Day 2024 History

World NGO Day allows more than 89 nations from 6 continents to unite for the joyous celebration. Social founder Marcis Liors Skadmanis, the young man, launched it in 2009 at the beginning. Nonetheless, on February 27, 2014, the event was successfully witnessed for the first time. The society determined to devote one day to acknowledging the role played by all not-for-profit and non-governmental organizations across the globe.

The Forum of the Baltic Sea Non-Governmental Organisations, which consists of 12 states, decided to observe World NGO Day as a partner of the Council of the Baltic Sea States in 2010. However, Ukraine became a recognized non-state actor of the international community and a full member of the EU and UN only on the 2014 level regarding Europe and global affairs.

Read also: Top 10 NGOs in India

Why is World NGO Day Celebrated For?

World NGO Day is a special day to recognize the importance of NGOs and, at the same time, motivate them to remain active and supported. The whole concept of NGOs’ Day is to acknowledge the achievements and efforts that NGOs make for our nation and to highlight their work, which can be a foundation for improving people’s lives throughout the world. World NGO Day has several objectives, including World NGO Day has several objectives, including:

• Growing worldwide knowledge of NGOs is also vital.
• Bestow awards to all those workers in the NGO who salute humanity.
• Enthusiastically raising awareness about NGOs within the community.
• In this case, NGOs stand to be praised for their accomplishments.
• Stimulating colleagues and including people in active NGOs.
• Humanitarian issues must be publicized, and the world must know about these crises.
• Promoting volunteerism and fundraising

For the occasion, volunteers and participants from all geographic areas celebrate and appreciate all the Myriads, ambitions, and achievements of non-governmental organizations worldwide. One of the highly commendable events was held by the Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe in Europe, which involved a range of key players, including members of the European Council and those representing civil society.

Conclusion

The first celebration of World NGO Day happened in 2014. Mr. Marcis Liors Skadmanis, a social entrepreneur, is the brain behind the idea of this campaign. The forum has initially brought together the members of the Baltic Sea NGO Forum, consisting of 12 nations throughout the term of its existence. 

In 2014, the EU, UN, and others officially recognised it on the global level. The event, however, provides a platform for NGOs to display their success stories, consult with other organizations, and lobby for their causes. It is an important day to note the work of NGOs of all sizes and show examples of their work as a way of helping mankind around the world.

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