Charity plays an important role in upholding the values and advancing the work of the United Nations. Donations of time or money; volunteer engagement in one’s own community or on the other side of the world; acts of caring and kindness with no thought of recompense; these and other expressions of global solidarity help us in our shared quest to live together in harmony and build a peaceful future for all.
慈善事業(yè)對(duì)于弘揚(yáng)聯(lián)合國(guó)價(jià)值觀念，推進(jìn)聯(lián)合國(guó)的工作，具有重要作用。奉獻(xiàn)時(shí)間或捐獻(xiàn)款項(xiàng)；在自己的社區(qū)或在遙遠(yuǎn)的世界其他地方投身于志愿者的行列；力行關(guān)愛(ài)而不求回報(bào)；如此種種全球團(tuán)結(jié)的善舉，幫助我們實(shí)現(xiàn)共同的追求，讓大家和睦相處，其樂(lè)融融，為所有人建設(shè)一個(gè)和平的未來(lái)。

I welcome this first observance of the International Day of Charity, which was proclaimed last year by the United Nations General Assembly and which coincides with the anniversary of the death of Mother Teresa, whose life and good works for some of the human family’s poorest and most vulnerable members inspired emulation across the world.
去年聯(lián)合國(guó)大會(huì)宣布了國(guó)際慈善日，今年首次開(kāi)展紀(jì)念活動(dòng)，對(duì)此我表示歡迎。國(guó)際慈善日恰逢特里薩修女逝世周年紀(jì)念日，她一生為人類大家庭中最貧窮、最脆弱的人們奔走呼號(hào)，作出杰出貢獻(xiàn)，成為全世界競(jìng)相學(xué)習(xí)的楷模。

Strangely, charity sometimes gets dismissed, as if it is ineffective, inappropriate or even somehow demeaning to the recipient. “This isn’t charity”, some donors take pains to claim, “this is an investment”. Let us recognize charity for what it is at heart: a noble enterprise aimed at bettering the human condition.
然而令人費(fèi)解的是，慈善事業(yè)有時(shí)卻被人不屑，似乎這種事業(yè)沒(méi)有效益，不合時(shí)宜，甚至對(duì)于接受者來(lái)說(shuō)有失尊嚴(yán)。有些捐助者會(huì)刻意宣稱：“這不是施舍，而是一種投資?！弊屛覀儗?duì)慈善事業(yè)的實(shí)質(zhì)予以承認(rèn)：慈善是高尚的事業(yè)，其目標(biāo)是讓人類生活更加美好。

At a time when we aim to accelerate our efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and define a bold agenda for the period beyond 2015, the role of charity can and should grow.
目前，我們正在力求加快速度，實(shí)現(xiàn)千年發(fā)展目標(biāo)，并為2015年后規(guī)劃雄心勃勃的議程，此時(shí)此刻，慈善事業(yè)的作用可以也應(yīng)當(dāng)發(fā)揚(yáng)光大。

UN bodies such as the UN Volunteers Programme and UNICEF offer venues for people across the world to get involved. In establishing the Day, the General Assembly asked that charity be encouraged through education and awareness-raising activities; initiatives such as the United Nations Academic Impact’s ASPIRE -- Action by Students to Promote Innovation and Reform through Education -- have encouraged young women and men to take on the responsibility of ensuring that their less fortunate peers have the financial opportunity to go to school. The UN’s humanitarian agencies rely on charitable donations from the public as well as the generosity of governments to continue their lifesaving work in response to natural disasters, armed conflicts and other emergencies.
聯(lián)合國(guó)的各個(gè)機(jī)構(gòu)，如聯(lián)合國(guó)志愿人員方案和聯(lián)合國(guó)兒童基金會(huì)，為全世界人民參與提供了種種機(jī)會(huì)。大會(huì)在設(shè)定國(guó)際慈善日時(shí)要求通過(guò)舉辦教育和公共宣傳活動(dòng)鼓勵(lì)慈善行為；開(kāi)展了各種舉措，如聯(lián)合國(guó)學(xué)術(shù)影響倡議所開(kāi)展的“學(xué)生采取行動(dòng)通過(guò)教育推動(dòng)創(chuàng)新和改革”活動(dòng)，鼓勵(lì)男女青年承擔(dān)起責(zé)任，確保同齡人中較為不幸的人有錢上學(xué)。聯(lián)合國(guó)人道主義機(jī)構(gòu)繼續(xù)開(kāi)展拯救生命的工作，應(yīng)對(duì)自然災(zāi)害、武裝沖突及其他各種緊急狀況，這項(xiàng)工作有賴于公眾的慈善捐助，有賴于各國(guó)政府的慷慨資助。

On this new International Day, I call on people everywhere, of all ages, to act on the charitable impulse that resides in every human being.
值此新的國(guó)際慈善日之際，我呼吁全世界人民，不分長(zhǎng)幼，行動(dòng)起來(lái)。慈善之心人皆有之，愿此善心化為善舉。?