Dear Representatives of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) accredited at the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG),
The UNOG Director-General, Ms. Tatiana Valovaya, is pleased to invite you to take part in the annual observance of World Humanitarian Day at the Palais des Nations, which will take place on Monday, 19 August 2024 at 4 p.m., outside the Human Rights and Alliance of Civilizations Room (Room XX).
Designated to be observed on 19 August as the day when 22 colleagues were killed at the United Nations office in Baghdad, World Humanitarian Day is an important occasion for us to honour the dedication and courage of humanitarian workers around the globe.
This year’s observance takes place against the backdrop of the ongoing hostilities in Gaza, which have resulted in the highest number of UN staff deaths in a single conflict. This observance will be an occasion for the international family in Geneva to recognize the outstanding efforts and tremendous courage of all humanitarian, medical and UN workers serving in Gaza in extreme conditions, while honouring all humanitarians around the world who strive to meet ever-growing global needs.
The Geneva World Humanitarian Day commemoration is organized in collaboration with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). You will find attached the draft programme of the ceremony. If you and your colleagues wish to attend this event, please register your participation on Indico by following this link: World Humanitarian Day 2024 (19 August 2024): Overview · Indico.UN. The commemoration ceremony will also be webcast live in the UN Web TV platform.
We also take this opportunity to encourage you to be part of the 2024 World Humanitarian Day global campaign #ActForHumanity, which aims to mobilize our collective efforts to ensure the protection of humanitarians and civilians and to demand accountability for violations of international humanitarian law and other international norms.
With best regards,
NGO Liaison Unit