At Good Good Good, we’re inspired by the words of Mister Rogers when he said, “You will always find people who are helping.” No matter what disaster, disease, or injustice is impacting a community, there are always people who are stepping up to make a difference.
These courageous and impactful people are humanitarians. Whether they’re supporting their own community or supporting a community across the globe, aid workers sacrificially work for the betterment of humankind.
According to ReliefWeb (PDF), 274 million people needed humanitarian assistance and protection in 2022. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, in 2023, the number of aid workers killed more than doubled in two years — from 118 in 2022 to 261 in 2023. 196 more were wounded and 78 were kidnapped. 96% of those killed were working in their own country.
The world needs humanitarian support more than ever — and those who step up to serve that role deserve our support. (And not only our support, but also the financial resources they need to be able to stay safe and healthy.)
World Humanitarian Day is an opportunity to celebrate, learn from, and support humanitarians around the world.
What is the meaning of World Humanitarian Day?
On August 19th, the world unites in celebrating the unwavering dedication of humanitarians worldwide who rise to meet global challenges. Despite the risks and challenges, they bravely journey into areas ravaged by disasters and conflict zones, committed to rescuing and safeguarding those in distress.
World Humanitarian Day is an annual international holiday that celebrates people who help other people. In honor of active humanitarians, and humanitarians who have lost their lives in the line of duty, the holiday is an opportunity to celebrate and recognize this important work.
Ideas & Activities To Celebrate World Humanitarian Day —
Learn the history of World Humanitarian Day.
Every year on August 19th, World Humanitarian Day is observed in recognition of the humanitarian workers who have died or been injured while engaged in their duties. It is also an important day to commemorate all aid and health workers who continue to provide life-saving care and protection to those who require it, overcoming many challenges to do so.
World Humanitarian Day was created in honor of the August 19th bombing of the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq, which killed 22 people, including humanitarian Sergio Vieira de Mello. The United Nations General Assembly designated this day as World Humanitarian Day in 2009.
Learn facts about some of the big issues facing the globe.
Humanitarians are amazing at helping individual people and communities who are impacted by enormous challenges, from war and conflict, to pandemics and climate disasters.
Part of honoring the work of humanitarians means understanding what they’re facing. Do your part to learn more about global issues, so it can be easier to stay up to date all year round.
Whether it’s the AIDS epidemic, unrest in Sudan, healthcare worker burnout, climate change, or the war in Ukraine, find a topic you’re passionate about and dig deep.
Stay up-to-date with humanitarian updates worldwide.
Of course, once you’re a little more well-versed in the challenges of the day, you’ll want to stay up-to-date with news from around the globe. Oftentimes, this news isn’t immediately presented when you open your social media apps or newsletters; you will need to seek it out.
Find a trusted source for your global news; whether that’s humanitarian organizations providing on-the-ground updates, a large, trusted news outlet (we love the Associated Press and Reuters), or a local news outlet covering the area of impact.
Just keep in mind that this news can be unsettling and disturbing — and really can have an impact on our mental health. To decrease compassion fatigue, consider how you can best consume the news intentionally.
Read books about humanitarianism.
The best way to truly understand the experience of humanitarians is to read their words — or detailed stories about their lives.
As you honor World Humanitarian Day, consider stopping by your local library, or purchasing a book about this life-saving work.
By the way, some of these book links are affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you!
Here are a few recommendations to get your list started:
- “The Need To Help: The Domestic Arts of International Humanitarianism” by Liisa H. Malkkai (Bookshop) (Amazon)
- “Chasing Chaos: My Decade In and Out of Humanitarian Aid” by Jessica Alexander (Bookshop) (Amazon)
- “An Imperfect Offering: Humanitarian Action for the Twenty-First Century” by James Orbinski (Amazon)
- “We Fed an Island: The True Story of Rebuilding Puerto Rico, One Meal at a Time” by José Andrés (Bookshop) (Amazon)
- “Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure the World” by Tracy Kidder (Bookshop) (Amazon)
- “I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban” by Malala Yousafzai (Bookshop) (Amazon)
- “The Education Of An Idealist: A Memoir” by Samantha Power (Bookshop) (Amazon)
Watch documentaries about humanitarians.
If you’re more of a visual learner, documentaries are also a great source of information about humanitarianism.
Consider checking out one (or more) of these recommendations:
- Bending The Arc (Netflix)
- We Feed People (National Geographic)
- The White Helmets (Netflix)
- He Named Me Malala (Amazon)
- Period: End Of Sentence (Netflix)
Read quotes from humanitarians.
Famous humanitarians throughout history have shared their wisdom with the next generation of world changers — and a great way to get started learning from them is via bite-sized quotes.
Read our collection of the best humanitarian quotes from difference-makers like Malala, Chef José Andrés, Nelson Mandela, Bono, Paul Farmer, Mother Teresa, Bryan Stevenson, and more. Share your favorites with others, include them in your next Instagram caption, and let them inspire you to take action.
Follow humanitarians online.
World Humanitarian Day honors the work of humanitarians who are no longer with us — as well as those who continue to do important humanitarian work.
There are so many humanitarians worth following, but here are a few recommendations to get you started:
- Ilwad Elman — @IlwadElman
- Chef José Andrés — @ChefJoseAndres
- Malala Yousafzai — @Malala
- Greta Thunberg — @GretaThunberg
- Umra Omar — @UmraOmar
Donate to humanitarian organizations.
Countless incredible humanitarian organizations are doing important work every day. You can support their ongoing efforts (and hundreds of individual humanitarians as a result) by donating to them in honor of World Humanitarian Day.
Here are a few recommendations to get you started:
- Partners in Health
- International Rescue Committee (and other refugee nonprofits)
- World Central Kitchen
- Mercy Corps
- Project HOPE
- CARE
Call your elected officials.
Individual donations to nonprofits are great — but governments have the ability to make a difference on a much larger scale. The United States currently spends less than 1% of its total budget on foreign assistance — but that 1% pays incredible dividends for making the world more safe, equitable, sustainable, and prosperous.
Make a call to your senators and representative and ask them to maintain or increase funding to USAID — to help support important humanitarian work around the world.
(Specifically, you can ask your senators to pass S.2956: The Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act. It already passed the House — and just needs to pass in the Senate.) (Editor's note: This has now been signed into law. Great work!)
Nervous about calling your elected officials or need quick access to their phone numbers? Rest assured, we have a guide to help you contact your representatives.
Follow the UN's guidance on taking action.
This year in particular, the United Nations is asking individuals to call upon their elected officials — and leaders around the world — to uphold international laws that require safety for civilians including humanitarians. Attacks on aid workers cannot be allowed to continue and should not become the norm.
Follow the UN's action steps on their website. (Editor's note: At the time of writing this, this page is currently down for maintenance, but hopefully it will be back online shortly.)
Be a humanitarian in your own backyard.
You don’t have to travel across the world to be a humanitarian. You can make a difference wherever you are. The keys to being a good humanitarian are to always listen to the people you’re serving above all else, focus on giving more than you receive from the experience, and persevere in your work even when things get tough.
Explore our articles on how to give back to your community and how to make a difference in the world.
Share action steps with your community.
Help others become helpers (meta, we know) by sharing action items and resources about some of the major issues humanitarians are confronting today.
It can be hard to stare directly in the face of all the overwhelming challenges across the globe, but we all have a role to play for the good of humanity.
Frequently Asked Questions —
What is the 2024 theme for World Humanitarian Day?
According to the United Nations, the theme for World Humanitarian Day 2024 is “Act for Humanity.” Last year was the deadliest year on record for humanitarian workers — and this year could be even worse. It's important that we confront the normalization of attacks on humanitarians by pressuring leaders to protect civilians — including humanitarians — in conflict zones.
What hashtags should I use for World Humanitarian Day?
The United Nations primarily uses the hashtag #WorldHumanitarianDay — and you can also use this year’s theme’s hashtag: #ActForHumanity.
What issues do humanitarians care about?
Humanitarian issues include, but are not limited to, the following:
- World Hunger
- Maternal Health
- Natural Disasters
- Poverty
- Access to Education
- Climate Change
- Inequality
What was the 2023 theme for World Humanitarian Day?
According to the United Nations, the theme for World Humanitarian Day 2023 was “No Matter What.” This highlighted the ability of humanitarians to prioritize the needs of the people they are helping — regardless of any other factors.
What was the 2022 theme?
According to the United Nations, the theme for World Humanitarian Day 2022 was “It Takes a Village.”
What was the 2021 theme?
World Humanitarian Day’s 2021 theme was designated “The Human Race” by the United Nations — centered around the idea that climate change affects everyone, especially the most vulnerable.
What was the 2020 theme?
The 2020 theme for World Humanitarian Day was “Real Life Heroes” in honor of frontline heroes at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19.
What were previous WHD themes?
You can explore all of the World Humanitarian Day themes from 2009 (the first year the holiday was celebrated) through this year on the United Nations site.
