August 19 - World Humanitarian Day
World Humanitarian Day was designated in December 2008 to increase public awareness regarding :
- Humanitarian activities around the world,
- The efforts of aid workers who have dedicated their lives to humanitarian work, and
- The importance of international cooperation in this domain.
The inaugural World Humanitarian Day (2009) was dedicated to the memory of Sergio Vieira de Mello, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights who was killed in a bomb attack in Baghdad, as well as all of the humanitarians who risk their lives to lessen suffering around the world.
According to the United Nations, “Humanitarian needs are growing faster than our ability to deal with them. Long-running and intractable conflicts are still exacting an unconscionable toll on civilians. Natural hazards are becoming increasingly severe and frequent.”
Grains of Peace supports this World Day by underlining the importance of contributing to peace and nonviolence to reduce the incidence of future humanitarian disasters.
