World Humanitarian Day is an opportunity to celebrate the spirit that inspires humanitarian work around the globe.

19 August 2013 – When we talk about the World Health Organization’s work in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, our focus is usually on the millions of people affected by war and natural disasters and in need of humanitarian assistance. We highlight their plight and keep them in the spotlight because as long the world is made aware of their suffering, we can count on getting the support we need to reach them.

Today, on World Humanitarian Day, we honour the people who help other people – the humanitarian aid workers who dedicate their lives to serving those in need. From the vaccinator who cycles through dirt roads and hikes up mountain paths in Afghanistan to immunize children against disease, to the epidemiologist in the Syrian Arab Republic who monitors cases of infectious diseases among internally displaced persons, to the trauma surgeon in a field hospital in Somalia – these are the individuals who dedicate their lives to helping others.