World Humanitarian Day 2020

On the 19th August, each year we celebrate World Humanitarian Day.

This day was designated in memory of the 19 August 2003 bomb attack on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq, killing 22 people, including the chief humanitarian in Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello. In 2009, the United Nations General Assembly formalized the day as World Humanitarian Day. Organisations worldwide honour this day in a range of ways from fundraisers to lectures and other events all aimed at raising awareness.

The purpose of World Humanitarian Day is to raise awareness of the plight of civilians around the world who have become caught up in conflicts, and also honour and raise support for the humanitarian workers who risk, and sometimes lose, their lives to help.

Providing life-saving support during the pandemic

On World Humanitarian Day (WHD) August 19, the world commemorates humanitarian workers killed and injured in the course of their work, and we honour all aid and health workers who continue, despite the odds, to provide life-saving support and protection to people most in need.

This year, World Humanitarian Day comes as the world continues to fight the COVID-19 pandemic over recent months. Aid workers are overcoming unprecedented access hurdles to assist people in humanitarian crises all over the world.

On August 19, we are paying special tribute to the real-life heroes who have committed their lives to helping others in the most extreme circumstances throughout the world.

COVID-19 has been the biggest challenge to humanitarian operations around the world.  The lack of access and restrictions placed by Governments around the world has resulted in communities, civil society and local NGOs being the frontline of the response.

Humanitarians continue to save and protect lives despite conflict, insecurity, lack of access and risks linked to COVID-19.

Let us join the global campaign that celebrates humanitarians - a “thank you” to the people who have committed their lives to helping others.

We as PROCARE are here to support you

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Sources utilised:

https://www.un.org/en/observances/humanitarian-day

https://www.awarenessdays.com/awareness-days-calendar/world-humanitarian-day-2020/