World Humanitarian Day

World Humanitarian Day is observed on 19 August.

It is a day dedicated to recognize humanitarian personnel and those who have lost their lives working for humanitarian causes.

It was designated by the United Nations General Assembly as part of a Swedish-sponsored GA Resolution A/63/L.49 on the Strengthening of the Coordination of Emergency Assistance of the United Nations, and set as 19 August. It marks the day on which the then Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Iraq, Sérgio Vieira de Mello and 21 of his colleagues were killed in the bombing of the UN Headquarters in Baghdad.