August 19, World Humanitarian Day

Humanitarian workers will henceforth be honored every August 19, the date chosen to commemorate World Humanitarian Day. This is intended to remember the attack on the UN offices in Iraq, which on the same date in 2003 left 22 people dead, including the United Nations special envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello.
A foundation created by Vieira de Mello’s widow, Annie, and some of his former colleagues is responsible for establishing this commemorative day, which will henceforth pay tribute to aid workers who provide food, drinking water, vaccines, and shelter to civilians who have fallen victim to wars or natural disasters. It will also seek to raise public awareness of the importance of humanitarian actions carried out around the world.