World Humanitarian Day

What Is World Humanitarian Day?

August 19 is "World Humanitarian Day," an international observance established by the United Nations to honor people who carry out humanitarian work around the world and to raise awareness of humanitarian crises affecting people globally.

The Origins and Background of World Humanitarian Day

The date marks the anniversary of a bombing that took place on August 19, 2003, at the UN headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, which killed 22 people, including Sérgio Vieira de Mello, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Iraq. In 2008, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution designating August 19, the anniversary of this attack, as "World Humanitarian Day."

• Year established: 2008 (by UN General Assembly resolution)
• Origin: The bombing of the UN headquarters in Baghdad on August 19, 2003
• Purpose: To honor humanitarian workers and raise awareness of humanitarian crises
• The toll: 22 people were killed and more than 100 injured

Fun Facts About World Humanitarian Day

• What is "humanitarian aid"?: It refers to delivering support such as food, medical care, and shelter to people facing hardship due to war, disasters, or other crises.
• Related organizations: Many organizations are active around the world in this field, including the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Red Cross.
• Annual themes: Each year, the UN runs an awareness campaign focused on humanitarian crises to mark this day.
• In Japan: Events have been held in Kobe, where landmarks such as the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge and Kobe Port Tower have been lit up in blue, the color of the UN and of World Humanitarian Day.
• Sérgio Vieira de Mello: A Brazilian UN official who had served as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, he spent many years working on humanitarian relief and peacebuilding in conflict zones.

How to Mark World Humanitarian Day

Rather than a day for celebration, this might be a good opportunity to learn that there are people around the world still facing difficult circumstances, and to look into the work being done by humanitarian organizations.