British High Commissioner marks World Humanitarian Day

Sunday, 19 August, is World Humanitarian Day, the UN-designated day which recognises all humanitarian workers who have lost their lives in the line of duty and honour those engaged in continuing work.

Every day, humanitarian aid workers help millions of people around the world, irrespective of their differences. In 2012, the annual commemoration will continue with the theme originally adopted in 2011, ‘People Helping People’.

British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and Maldives John Rankin commented, “In an age of natural and manmade disasters, conflict and violence, humanitarian workers save lives and help people who have lost everything – their livelihoods, homes and loved ones. On World Humanitarian Day, we thank all those involved in humanitarian work, inspiring still others by their example.

In Sri Lanka, there is still a need for humanitarian work, following the end of the war. The UK Government recognises and supports this. Early in 2011, we announced a further contribution of £3 million by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) towards continuing demining work in Sri Lanka. We remain committed to this until the end of 2013. Demining is an important aspect of safety and security, post-conflict livelihood recovery and a return to normalcy for those who have suffered in a war, been displaced and are now seeking to rebuild their lives and everything they have lost.”

World Humanitarian Day marks the day on which the then Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Iraq, Sérgio Vieira de Mello, and 21 of his colleagues were tragically killed following the bombing of the UN Headquarters in Baghdad in 2003.