World Humanitarian Day 2025: Date, theme, history, significance and more details

The General Assembly designated 19 August as World Humanitarian Day to commemorate the 2003 attack on the UN headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq.

This claimed the lives of 22 humanitarian aid workers, including the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello.

In 2025, the day is observed on Tuesday, 19 August, under the theme of “ActForHumanity“, highlighting the urgency in demanding protection, accountability, and action.

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It also lays emphasis on protecting humanitarian workers and the civilians they serve, upholding international humanitarian law, and funding the lifelines we claim to support.

World Humanitarian Day is a campaign launched by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Each year, WHD focuses on a specific theme, bringing together partners from throughout the humanitarian system to campaign for the survival, well-being, and dignity of those affected by crises, as well as the safety and security of aid workers.

Civilians bear the heaviest cost of every crisis. They deserve safety, dignity, and a future.

On #WorldHumanitarianDay, we honour the courage of those who rebuild hope.

No one should die helping others live.#ActForHumanity pic.twitter.com/9nYUhM1LbP

— UN Development (@UNDP) August 19, 2025