World Humanitarian Day 2021

Table of Contents

World Humanitarian Day is a campaign by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA). Every year on the death anniversary of Sérgio Vieira de Mello, the UN OCHA observes World Humanitarian day to celebrates the works of humanitarian personnel across the world. With the recognition UN General Assembly, from 2009 onwards the world observes August 19 as World Humanitarian Day. The World Humanitarian Day 2021 is to race against the climate crisis. Highlights the immediate human cost of the climate crisis by pressuring world leaders to take meaningful climate action for the world’s most vulnerable people.

World Humanitarian Day is an UN-sponsored international day dedicated to recognizing humanitarian personnel and those who have lost their lives working for humanitarian causes. On this day, the world pays tribute to aid workers who risk their lives in humanitarian service and to rally support for people affected by crises around the world. idolizing movie stars, sportspersons, and even politicians are part of our culture. There are millions out there who are ready to give away everything in their life for their favorite stars. What about our real-life heroes? Everybody must have met a real-life superhero or heroine in their life, it may be your parent, friend, or neighbor.

When you are in the middle of a crisis they are the ones who provide the first helping hands. If we glance over the few natural disasters the local people were the first respondents. Be the latest flight disaster in Kerala or the volcanic eruption in Indonesia even before the authority they were helping others. These types of humanitarian bits of help are necessary for mankind. These peoples are worthy of admiration and celebration because they’re real, and they are doing this just for the sake of humanity.

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World Humanitarian Day History

From 2009 onwards, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs observes August 19 as the World Humanitarian day across the globe. But what makes the UN accept August 19 as the Humanitarian day, let’s check the brief history behind this day.

Sérgio Vieira de Mello was a Brazilian diplomat who works for the UN for 34 long years in challenging humanitarian situations. His relentless efforts during the Mozambique Civil war (followed its independence from Portugal in 1975) as UNHCR representative, and in Cambodia as the first and only UN Representative to hold talks with the Khmer Rouge were widely applauded. He was involved in the clearing of land mines in Cambodia, and then in Yugoslavia. Mello’s works were indispensable in dealing with the issue of ethnic minorities like Tanka people in Hong Kong. In May 2003 Vieira de Mello was appointed as the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General to Iraq.

Canal Hotel Bombing

In the afternoon of August 19, 2003, a suicide bomber driving a truck bomb charged to the premises of the Canal Hotel and makes the whole area a column of smoke. The target was the five days older UN Assistance Mission to Iraq. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Humanitarian Information Centre (HIC) for Iraq (UNOHCI) and the office of Sérgio Vieira de Mello, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, located in the premises were directly hit by the bombing. It killed Sergio Vieira de Mello and 22 other UN staff.

The terrorist organization Jama’at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad, specifically targeted Vieira de Mello in the blast. The reason given by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (leader) for targeting Vieira de Mello was that he had helped East Timor become an independent state. He said, “Vieira de Mello had participated in the unlawful removal of territory from the Islamic Caliphate and was, therefore, a thief and a criminal”.

To keep-alive de Mellos contributions towards the humanitarian crisis, and to convey deep gratitude for him and his 21-colleagues, and all humanitarian personnel who have lost the life, UN General Assembly declared August 19, as the World Humanitarian day from 2009 onwards.

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Humanitarian Day Celebrations 2021

This year World Humanitarian Day highlights the immediate human cost of the climate crisis in order to take meaningful climate action for the world’s most vulnerable people. According to the UN:

The climate emergency is wreaking havoc across the world at a scale that the humanitarian community and people at the front lines cannot manage.

Time is already running out for millions of the world’s most vulnerable people – those who have contributed least to the global climate emergency but are hit the hardest.

Millions of people are already losing their homes, their livelihoods, and their lives.

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.

World Humanitarian Day 2021: August 19

The theme of the World Humanitarian day 2021: “#TheHumanRace: A global challenge for climate action in solidarity with the people who need it most.

INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY 2021

World Humanitarian Day Quiz

World Humanitarian Day is observing on which of the following date?

(a) 20 August (b) 21 August (c) 19 August (d) 18 August

Ans: August 19

Which of the following leader’s death anniversary is observed as World Humanitarian Day?

(a) Sérgio Vieira de Mello (b) Nelson Mandela (c) Abrham Lincoln (d) Kofi Anan

Ans: Sérgio Vieira de Mello

When did the UN General Assembly start to observe World Humanitarian Day was commemorated for the first time?

Ans: 2009

Which UN body organizes the Humanitarian Day celebrations?

(b) UNESCO (d) UNCHR (c) UNOCHA (d) UN Refugees Organization

Ans: UNOCHA (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs)

What was the first theme for the Humanitarian Day celebrations?

(a) “We are Humanitarian Workers” (b) “Our Lives Matters” (c) “People Helping People” (d) “We are here for you”

Ans: “We are Humanitarian Workers”

Which of the following events lead to the beginning of Humanitarian Day observation?

(a) Syrian Refugee Crisis (b) The bombing of the UN Headquarters in Baghdad (c) End of Gulf war (d) Nuclear Arms disembarkment Treaty

Ans: The bombing of the UN Headquarters in Baghdad

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