World Humanitarian Day is an international day dedicated to recognize humanitarian personnel and those who have died working for humanitarian causes.

It was designated by the United Nations General Assembly as part of a Swedish-sponsored General Assembly Resolution on “Strengthening of the Coordination of Emergency Assistance of the United Nations,” and designated 19 August as World Humanitarian Day for the purpose of “increasing public awareness about humanitarian assistance activities worldwide and the importance of international cooperation in this regard, as well as to honour all humanitarian and United Nations and associated personnel who have worked in the promotion of the humanitarian cause and those who have lost their lives in the cause of duty.” It marks the day on which the then Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Iraq, Sérgio Vieira de Mello and 21 of his colleagues were killed in the bombing of the UN Headquarters in Baghdad.

Links:
World Humanitarian Day

World Humanitarian Day: Remembering the humanitarians who never returned home

Special edition: The people behind protection