World Humanitarian Day: Theme, History, Objective and Importance

19 August is observed every year as World Humanitarian Day. On this day, tribute is paid to humanitarian aid workers who risk their lives in the course of providing humanitarian services. These workers are often the first responders to any crisis. They are the ones whom we call the real-life heroes! They work in the most difficult circumstances to make a substantial difference in the lives of people who are living amid crises.

Objective of World Humanitarian Day

The objective of this day is to raise public awareness about humanitarian assistance activities worldwide and the importance of international cooperation.

This day is also observed with an intent to honour all humanitarian workers and United Nations and associated personnel who have worked in the promotion of the humanitarian cause and those who have lost their lives in line of duty.

History

United Nations General Assembly officially inducted this day in the year 2008.  It was accordingly first celebrated in 2009.

The day marks the anniversary of the Canal Hotel bombing of 2003 in the Baghdad, Iraq.  22 people were killed including the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Sergio Vieira de Mello, and more than a hundred were wounded. The target of the blast was the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq.

In the year 2008, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution A/63/L.49 designating 19 August as the World Humanitarian Day.

World Humanitarian Day 2020 Theme

World Humanitarian Day is celebrated every year around a theme. In 2019, the theme was “Women Humanitarians”. As per the official website, the already tough humanitarian task has become even more difficult by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thus, this year a campaign has been run called “#RealLifeheroes“. This campaign pays our tributes and show gratitude towards the humanitarian workers who are continuously working to help others despite the daunting circumstances.

How to Celebrate World Humanitarian Day?

To observe this day, you can try learning more about the areas of the world where humanitarian efforts are going on. From war zone to poverty-stricken regions, educate your self about the living conditions of people residing in these areas. This will give also give you an idea about the hardships of humanitarian aid workers. It is equally important that others around you are also educated about the situation. So you can also share stories of the real-life heroes in social media using the campaign hashtag #RealLifeHeroes.