World Humanitarian Day: History, Facts & Insights

This is an in-depth look at all the must-know facts about World Humanitarian Day (2024) 🗓️ that no one tells you about. World Humanitarian Day is celebrated on August 19th.

Among the information you’ll find below: the history of World Humanitarian Day, activities to do on and how to observe this holiday, as well as fun facts you may want to know about World Humanitarian Day.

📅 What day is World Humanitarian Day 2024?

In 2024, World Humanitarian Day is on Saturday, August 19th. It is the 3rd Saturday in August; in 2024, it is Monday. There are until the next observance. You also can explore all the fun details and facts about August 19, 2023, that you might not be aware of.

World Humanitarian Day is observed on August 19th to honor and remember the brave individuals who dedicate their lives to providing humanitarian assistance worldwide. This significant day was initiated by the United Nations in 2009 as a way to commemorate the tragic attack on the UN offices in Iraq. On that day, 22 lives were lost, including the well-respected United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

📜 World Humanitarian Day History

World Humanitarian Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly to remember the loss of 22 UN humanitarian workers, including Sérgio Vieira de Mello, who died in the bombing of the UN’s Baghdad offices in 2003. Sérgio, originally from Brazil, devoted his life to helping victims of armed violence and advocating for their cause internationally. He played a significant role in creating the draft for World Humanitarian Day and worked tirelessly to raise awareness among people in peaceful nations about the realities of war-torn areas. He aimed to shift the focus to the innocent individuals caught in conflicts they never wanted to be a part of, offering a more compassionate perspective on war. Following the tragedy, the Sergio Vieira Mello Foundation and de Mello’s family collaborated with several ambassadors to draft a resolution establishing World Humanitarian Day. Since 2009, this day has been observed to honor the courageous efforts of humanitarian workers and to draw attention to the challenges they face in making the world a better place for those affected by violence and poverty. Each year, the United Nations commemorates World Humanitarian Day with a specific theme, aiming to raise awareness and advocate for the well-being of disaster-affected individuals and the safety of humanitarian workers. One notable theme was “The Human Race,” which highlighted the urgent issue of global climate change and its disproportionate impact on vulnerable populations.

✅ World Humanitarian Day Facts

🔖 65.6 million people are displaced
The remarkable number has continued to increase, rising from 65.3 million in 2015.

🔖 Natural disasters affect millions

🔖 Millions go to bed hungry every night
According to the 2018 Global Hunger Index, approximately one out of every nine people experiences hunger before going to sleep.

👍 Why Is World Humanitarian Day Important

Humanitarian assistance workers are some of the most courageous and respectable people living, putting themselves in danger by traveling to combat zones and disaster zones to help strangers in need. Despite their excellent work, these employees are rarely recognized publicly, sometimes for their personal safety. World Humanitarian Day is both a sobering reminder of how many lives have been lost in the name of this noble cause and a celebration of the workers who are currently performing this necessary but often dangerous work.

“Humanitarian aid worker” is not a very prevalent occupation. Simply put, there are never enough humanitarian relief personnel. Every year, millions of people require humanitarian assistance as a consequence of natural and man-made calamities. World Humanitarian Day serves as a reminder of the growing need for humanitarian professionals willing to volunteer their time.

World Humanitarian Day emphasizes the need for worldwide collaboration on humanitarian challenges. Humanitarian relief workers may be assisting people in their own nations or may be assigned to assist those in need overseas. International collaboration is critical to ensuring the safety of humanitarian relief workers while also allowing them to assist people in need.

🙂 How To Observe World Humanitarian Day

⚡ Contact your elected leaders

⚡ Donate to a humanitarian organization
Humanitarian organizations worldwide are facing a critical shortage of funds and are in urgent need of support. It would be wonderful if you could spare some of your time to volunteer for one of these charities. However, if you are unable to contribute your time, a monetary donation would greatly help these organizations enhance their resources and aid affected communities. You can find humanitarian groups on the internet or visit the UN’s World Humanitarian Day website for resources to help you get involved.

⚡ Do some humanitarian work in your community
Call, write, or tweet your elected officials to express your concern about humanitarian problems. Ask them to do a variety of things to support humanitarian causes that are important to you.

📅 When is World Humanitarian Day?

Discover all 🔗 August holidays, including 🔗 Cause and other 🔗 Awareness holidays.

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