2021 World Humanitarian Day: Last year's theme was dedicated to the Covid aid workers.
World Humanitarian Day is observed on August 19 every year across the world. On this day, people who have sacrificed their lives for humanitarian causes and dedicated their lives to humanitarian welfare are honoured. This day was designated by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) as a part of a resolution on the Coordination of Emergency Assistance of the United Nations. Every year on World Humanitarian Day, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs decides on a theme to encourage and raise awareness about a prevailing crisis.
Last year's theme was dedicated to all the aid workers across the world who worked tirelessly during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The UN encouraged global citizens to come together and thank aid workers for their services to humankind.
History of World Humanitarian Day
World Humanitarian Day is also marked as the day to remember and honour Special Representative of the secretary-general to Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello, and 21 aid workers who were killed in a bombing of the UN Headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, on August 19, 2003. It was after this tragedy that the UNGA designated August 19 as World Humanitarian Day in 2009.
The theme of World Humanitarian Day 2021
Every year, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs sets a theme to raise awareness to a cause or crisis that needs the world's attention. This year's theme is focused on the severe climate crisis that has gripped several countries across the world.
According to the United Nations official website, the theme for this year is, '#theHumanRace', which is a global challenge for climate action in solidarity with the people who need it most. Talking about this year's theme, the official United Nations website says, "The climate emergency is wreaking havoc across the world at a scale that people on the front lines and in the humanitarian community cannot manage. Time is already running out for the world's most vulnerable people -- those who have contributed least to the global climate emergency yet are hit the hardest -- and millions of others that are already losing their homes, their livelihoods, and their lives."
How you can help
If you want to join #theHumanRace, just run, ride, swim, walk or take part in any activity of your preference for a total of 100 minutes between August 16 and 31. This, according to the United Nations, is to express solidarity with vulnerable people. It is also to tell leaders across the world that "they expect developed countries to deliver on their decade-old pledge of $100 billion annually for climate mitigation and adaptation in developing countries".
A few of the other ways in which you can help are by spreading the word on social media by using the hashtags, ‘#TheHumanRace' and ‘#WorldHumanitarianDay', and asking your followers to join as well. Then, you can also get social media influencers to raise awareness on the issue on their timelines.