Observed on August 19 annually, the World Humanitarian Day was introduced to pay tribute to aid workers, people who risk their lives in humanitarian service and to support crisis-affected people across the globe.
This year, we mark World Humanitarian Day as the world is grappling with ailments like monkeypox, countries reeling under unprecedented financial crisis, wars and what not.
Amidst all mayhem, the aid workers have again stepped up for the service of people.
History
Humanitarian day was first observed in memory of August 19, 2003 bombing on Canal Hotel, Baghdad in Iraq which killed 22 persons including the chief humanitarian in Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello.
To pay tributes and recognize the efforts by people who risk their lives for humanitarian causes, in 2009, the United Nations General Assembly formalized the day as World Humanitarian Day.
The day is outcome of relentless efforts of the Sérgio Vieira de Mello Foundation, his family working with the Ambassadors of France, Switzerland, Japan, and Brazil in both Geneva and New York to the table and steer the draft Resolution through the General Assembly.
Theme for 2022
The 2022 campaign, according to the Uited Nations, shines a light on "thousands of volunteers, professionals and crisis-affected people who deliver urgent health care, shelter, food, protection, water and much more."
This year, the UN has decided to honour the aid workers using digital art. "For this year’s WHD, we will use digital art to tell the stories of people in need and those who help them. At the centre of the campaign is a series of beautifully illustrated aid worker profiles that show the breadth and depth of humanitarian work and collectively symbolize the wider humanitarian village," they mention on their website.
