Art of giving: A global movement of peace and happiness
Bhubaneswar: Art of Giving (AOG) (https://artofgiving.in.net/) is a life philosophy that inspires millions around the globe to practice kindness, compassion and community engagement. It was conceptualised and led by Prof Achyuta Samanta, educationist and social reformer. It has become a civic movement dedicated to fostering peace and happiness through selfless giving. The movement is based on a simple yet powerful truth: that human beings, in their essence, are wired to give. Happiness and peace, which are the most natural human aspirations, often get buried under material pursuits. Art of Giving calls people back to that natural instinct of sharing, helping and loving without expectation or reward.
The seeds of AOG were sown long before it had a name. Prof Achyuta Samanta, having grown up in abject poverty and adversity, began practising the art of giving as early as the age of five—when he himself had little to give. This lifelong commitment to selfless giving transformed into a mission, and on May 17, 2013, he formally launched the philosophy of Art of Giving as a global movement. Since then, May 17 has been celebrated every year as the International Day of Art of Giving, with each year focusing on a specific theme.
Every year, Art of Giving selects a new theme that aligns with contemporary needs and emotional resonances. It started in 2014 with themes around Society, Spirituality and Humanity.
In 2015, the theme was Kompassion: The Garment Bank, which urged people to donate old clothes to those in need.
During the challenging pandemic period of 2020, the theme was AOG Fights Corona, focusing on supporting frontline workers and affected families. In 2021, 'My Mother My Hero' became a deeply emotional campaign where participants wrote letters of gratitude to their mothers. In 2024, the theme Let's AOG broadened the idea of universal participation. And now in 2025, as AOG, in its 12th edition compassion, the theme is 'Neighbour Good – Bringing Good to the Neighbourhood.'
This year's theme focuses on taking kindness to the most immediate circle, our neighbours and local community. From May 2 to 16, people around the world are observing the Fortnight of Happiness, by engaging in small, meaningful gestures—sharing snacks or tea, visiting elderly neighbours, organising apartment meetups, or participating in neighbourhood events. On May 17, grand celebrations will take place globally. Art of Giving has grown exponentially in the last decade. Today, the AOG family includes over 2.5 million active members. Additionally, the philosophy now finds representation in over 220 national federations of the FIVB (Fédération Internationale de Volleyball), extending its values through sports and youth movements worldwide.
A milestone moment for this year is the release of the book on Art of Giving, authored by Prof Achyuta Samanta and published by Rupa Publications. The book is available on Amazon. It offers a deep dive into the journey, values and real-life stories of those who have been touched by this movement.
Though AOG was formally launched in 2013, its values are timeless. Charity, or 'daan', has always been central to Indian culture. Every major religion—Islam's zakat, Christianity's charity, Buddhism's acts of compassion, Jainism's saving lives and spreading knowledge, Judaism's tzedakah, and Zoroastrianism's call to fight poverty as a moral duty upholds giving as sacred. What Prof Samanta has done through AOG is to modernise this wisdom, remove religious and geographical filters and build a global, inclusive and joyful movement rooted in humanity.
Prof Achyuta Samanta is no stranger to service. As the founder of KIIT and KISS, he has empowered over two million people through education and social reform. But it is through AOG that he offers the most personal part of his journey—the belief that giving is not for the rich, but for the kind-hearted.
He began his journey with nothing but the will to give. Today, he inspires millions to give, not what they have in excess, but what they can spare with love.
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