World Humanitarian Day - 19 August

Published Date

World Humanitarian Day falls on 19 August, the day in 2003 when 22 aid workers were killed in a bombing at the UN headquarters in Baghdad. It is a day to commemorate all people who have lost their lives in humanitarian service and to celebrate the spirit that inspires humanitarian work around the world. Events are planned in many locations including New York, Milan, Geneva and Istanbul.

This year’s digital campaign – #ShareHumanity – aims to disrupt social media feeds for 24-hours in an innovative way. Celebrities and influential figures with large social media followings have agreed to lend their social media feeds to share humanitarian stories that highlight people’s resilience and strength. In this manner, stories from Syria, Afghanistan, Nepal, Nigeria, South Sudan and DRC will be shared with over 100 million people globally.