August 19: World Humanitarian Day 2021

On August 19, 2003, a bomb explosion occurred at the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq, killing 22 humanitarian workers, including Sergio Vieira de Mello, the special envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq. Five years later, the General Assembly passed a resolution proclaiming August 19 as World Humanitarian Day.

Every year, World Humanitarian Day focuses on bringing partners together from across the humanitarian system to monitor for the survival, well-being of crises-affected people and the safety and security of aid workers.

When is Human Rights Day?

2021 Theme: The immediate human cost of the climate crisis by pressuring world leaders to take meaningful climate action for the world’s most vulnerable people.