Fw: World Humanitarian Day

[Guest guest]

As UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Sergio Vieira de Mello presented Amma

with the Gandhi-King award in 2002.. less than a year later, on this day in

2003, he was killed by a bomb in Baghdad.

 

Keval

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On August 19 and for the first time , the international

community will pay tribute to the brave humanitarian workers who devote their

time and energy to come to the rescue of innocent victims of war and natural

catastrophes across the world.

 

On August 19, 2003, a bomb attack in Baghdad killed 22 U.N. employees, among

them their chief named Sergio Vieira de Mello. The day will become World

Humanitarian Day.

 

The setting up of this special day is in recognition of the importance of their

work and is aimed at paying tribute to those dedicated humanitarian workers who

lost their lives while helping others. It has been made possible by the Sergio

Vieira de Mello Foundation.

 

With the help of Brazil, France, Japan, Sweden and Switzerland, the Foundation

has succeeded in convincing the U.N. General Assembly last December to declare

August 19 as World Humanitarian Day.

 

It was crucial for the aforementioned Foundation that, at least once a year, the

work accomplished by dedicated men and women of good will, working in difficult

and dangerous places, be officially recognized.

 

Humanitarian workers are active in some of the most hostile areas - Darfur,

Somalia and Afghanistan, to name the three places where they are most often

attacked , facing heat, cold, diseases and danger.

 

They are killed, wounded, raped and kidnapped. Violent attacks against

humanitarian workers are increasing ominously. Last year, 122 were killed. In

1998, the death toll was 36. Over the last ten years, a total of 750

humanitarian workers have been killed on duty.

 

It is in the spirit of the SVM Foundation that the World Humanitarian Day has

been created with the aim of perpetuating the humanitarian values of dedicated

men and women who, like Sergio Vieira de Mello, made the utmost

sacrifice - their life - in pursuing their ideal: helping the most vulnerable.

 

This memorable day will be celebrated throughout the world. The key ceremony

will be held in Geneva, the world humanitarian capital. For more information on

the Geneva event, please visit the WHD section.

http://www.sergiovdmfoundation.org/en/activities_whd.html

 

Source: Sergio Vieira de Mello Foundation

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