Cypriots among the most giving in the world – survey
The fourth edition of the World Giving Index, which looks at charitable behaviour across 135 countries, ranks Cyprus in 24th place with 43 points out of a possible 100.
The Index score is based on an average of three measures of giving behaviour – the percentage of people who, in a typical month, donate money to charity, volunteer their time, and help a stranger.
Cyprus was 37th in helping a stranger, 27th in donating money and 34th in volunteering. 54 per cent of the country’s residents that took part in the survey said that they do help a stranger in a typical month; 47 per cent give money to charity and 27 per cent volunteer their time.
Greece finds itself at the bottom of the overall ranking (135th). The USA is the most charitable country, followed by Canada, Burma, New Zealand, Ireland and the United Kingdom.
The report is compiled by the UK-based Charities Aid Foundation and is based on more than half a million interviews conducted by Gallup since 2005/06, as part of their World Poll survey.
This year’s report shows that, though the pace of economic expansion has slowed, the levels of involvement in giving – for all three measures – have increased on last year`s results.
http://cyprus-mail.com/2013/12/03/cypri ... ld-survey/
As we know, most Greeks not only look after their aged parents (a charitable act) but do not think twice about the sacrifice; but also the ageing parents might themselves spend their final years, for free (i.e. charity) looking after toddlers so that the parents can work. This extensive and real form of charity (for charity begins at home, does it not?) is ignored in these pathetic surveys. 
