World Humanitarian Day
A/RES/63/139
A/RES/63/139
This authority record treats the observance as a fixed annual date. The same month and day can be reused unless a stronger source changes the rule. Public-holiday or government status is never inferred from the observance name alone.
Overview
World Humanitarian Day is a United Nations observance on 19 August that recognizes humanitarian workers and advocates for people affected by crises, including the need to protect humanitarian and medical personnel and operations.
The day is coordinated as a global campaign by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Its purpose combines remembrance, public awareness and advocacy for humanitarian action.
Why it matters
Humanitarian work is guided by principles intended to protect access and trust in crises. Observance content should avoid turning suffering into spectacle or assuming that every aid organization has the same mandate.
Useful participation can include learning how humanitarian systems operate, supporting credible relief organizations and understanding why protection of civilians and aid workers matters.
History
On 19 August 2003, a bomb attack on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad killed 22 humanitarian workers, including Sergio Vieira de Mello, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Iraq.
Five years later, the UN General Assembly adopted resolution 63/139 designating 19 August as World Humanitarian Day.
How the observance developed
This timeline is assembled only from verified provenance fields. Missing stages are omitted rather than inferred.
United Nations General Assembly
UN General Assembly resolution 63/139
First documented observance
United Nations material explicitly records 19 August 2009 as the first World Humanitarian Day.
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
The reviewed guide identifies OCHA as coordinator of the global World Humanitarian Day campaign.
What the evidence establishes
Verified institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Fields that the reviewed sources do not establish remain fail-closed and are available below without competing with the confirmed record.
3 fields not established in reviewed sources
Ways to observe
Learn about humanitarian principles and how emergency aid is coordinated.
Support reputable organizations responding to crises, checking how they use funds and protect affected people.
Recognize local humanitarian workers and community responders as well as international organizations.
Use crisis stories and images responsibly, respecting dignity, consent and safety.
Useful facts
World Humanitarian Day is observed on 19 August.
The date recalls the 2003 Canal Hotel bombing in Baghdad.
The UN General Assembly designated the day through resolution 63/139.
OCHA coordinates the World Humanitarian Day campaign.
The day concerns both people affected by crises and the safety of humanitarian workers.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Repeated links from the authority record, institutional provenance and editorial guide research are consolidated here. Badges show how each source is used; a contextual source is never treated as proof of establishment on its own.
United Nations Digital Library — A/RES/63/139 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations Meetings Coverage — First World Humanitarian Day (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — World Humanitarian Day background (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — List of International Days and Weeks (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — Observances: who chooses them and how (opens in a new tab)
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then use reviewed distinctions and related authority records to understand where this observance fits.
Frequently asked questions
When is World Humanitarian Day?
19 August The stored recurrence guidance is: 19 August.
Does World Humanitarian Day fall on the same date every year?
The authority record classifies it as fixed annual, so its month and day are reusable unless stronger evidence changes the rule.
Is World Humanitarian Day an official public holiday?
The authority record verifies it within this scope: United Nations / international observance. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when the supporting authority record explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes World Humanitarian Day?
The reviewed provenance layer identifies United Nations General Assembly as the proclaiming or establishing body. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Is World Humanitarian Day international or country-specific?
The record has international or global institutional scope: United Nations / international observance. That does not mean every country treats the date as a public holiday or observes it in the same way.
How is this page verified?
The factual layer is source-backed and keeps its date rule, scope, provenance and editorial guardrails attached to the authority record. This record was checked on 2026-09-05.
Is World Humanitarian Day the same as World Refugee Day?
No. World Humanitarian Day on 19 August has a broad humanitarian-action and aid-worker focus, while World Refugee Day on 20 June specifically centers refugees and forced displacement.
Why is World Humanitarian Day on 19 August?
It commemorates the 19 August 2003 attack on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, in which 22 humanitarian workers were killed.
What is a responsible way to mark the day?
Learn from credible humanitarian sources, support reputable organizations, recognize local responders and use stories or images of affected people with dignity and care.
How this differs from closely related observances
These distinctions are separately reviewed and source-backed. They clarify scope; they do not change either authority record.
Is World Humanitarian Day the same as World Refugee Day?
World Humanitarian Day on 19 August addresses humanitarian action, people affected by crises and the safety of aid workers. World Refugee Day on 20 June specifically centers refugees and forced displacement.
Open World Refugee Day →Distinction sources
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United States Code, title 36 §118
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