World Humanitarian Day 2021: Know the history, significance and other details
August 19 is observed as World Humanitarian Day across the globe. Read more to know the details of the day.
World Humanitarian Day is observed on August 19 every year to honor the humanitarians across the globe. The day is marked to pay tribute to people who sacrificed their lives despite the odds and continue to provide protection and life-saving support to people in need.
Theme of the day for 2021
For the year 2021, the aim of observance of World Humanitarian Day is to mount pressure on world leaders to initiate meaningful steps to challenge climate change and save the most vulnerable people in the world. On its official website, the UN said, "With most climate campaigns focused on slowing climate change and securing the planet’s future, World Humanitarian Day 2021 will highlight the immediate human cost of the climate crisis and pressure world leaders to take meaningful climate action for the world’s most vulnerable people."
History of the day
As reported by News18, "the day marks the death of, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello, who was killed in a terrorist bombing attack of Baghdad’s United Nations Headquarters in 2003. In 2008, the United Nations General Assembly, as part of a resolution on the Coordination of Emergency Assistance of the United Nations, designated the day as World Humanitarian Day to pay tribute to de Mello and the 21 aid workers killed in the bombing."
Significance of the day
Humanitarians are regarded as people who react first against world crises and the last ones to leave. They are the ones responsible for strengthening global humanitarian relations. People observe the day across the world by creating awareness of the cause. Campaigns for the same are sponsored by private and co-corporations and supported by humanitarians across the world.
