A Report on:
Al-Qalam Foundation’s stand on World Humanitarian Day
World Humanitarian Day takes place on the 19 August every year to mark the anniversary of the 2003 bomb attack on the UN headquarters at Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq. The attack killed 22 humanitarian workers. It also killed the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello.
The day aims to promote the well-being, dignity and ultimately the survival of those affected by disasters, and the safety and security of the aid workers who rush to help them.
Like other international days and weeks, it's used to raise awareness and educate the public on global challenges and issues.
The World Economic Forum's 2024 Global Risks Report warns of the risks of geo-economic confrontation and also the erosion of social cohesion and societal polarization. From conflict to climate change, it is often humanitarians that respond to the impacts and minimize human suffering in the process.
The theme of the 2024 World Humanitarian Day global campaign is #ActForHumanity.
As the UN explains, the campaign aims to “mobilize our collective efforts to ensure the protection of humanitarians and civilians and to demand accountability for violations of international humanitarian law and other international norms”.
The whole world in celebrating “World Humanitarian Day 2024”, believing that humanitarian work is a duty and a core value that must be promoted to support efforts to provide a better life for the most vulnerable communities and build a prosperous future for humanity by achieving sustainable development.
Al-Qalam Foundation fully endorse UN initiatives and joins the celebrations of World Humanitarian Day 2024.
Professor Anees Ahmad, Executive Director of Al Qalam Foundation, on this occasion said that World Humanitarian Day is an annual opportunity to celebrate the great efforts and generous contributions of humanitarian pioneers around the world, and a global humanitarian message to raise the importance of noble humanitarian endeavors and initiatives, promote the values of generosity, observing the tolerance and extending a helping hand to those affected by crises and disasters everywhere without discrimination or prejudice, in order to consolidate the principle of human brotherhood.
Office of Executive Director
Al-Qalam Foundation
India