WORLD HUMANITARIAN DAY MARKED

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, /MONTSAME/ The second World Humanitarian Day was celebrated on August 19. This year's theme is “We are humanitarian workers” and focuses on the actual work and achievements of humanitarian workers in the field. “By definition, the people who are working trying to tackle humanitarian need are working in places which are often remote, usually difficult, and very often dangerous as well, because that's where the conflicts are and that's where the natural disasters happen” says John Holmes, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs.
Man-made and natural disaster cause immense suffering for millions of people every year, very often among the world's poorest, most marginalized and vulnerable individuals. There are currently more than 27 million internally displaced people and 10 million refugees in the world. One out of every six people in the world are chronically hungry. Humanitarian workers strive to ensure that all those who have experienced a traumatic event and need life-saving assistance receive it, regardless of where they are in the world and regardless of their race, nationality, religious or political beliefs.
Humanitarian workers are forgotten heroes, heroes without whom there wouldn't be any humanitarian assistance. Not only do they work in the most difficult places of the world, in extreme temperature, threatened by diseases but in dangerous places as well where they risk their lives to help the destitute, the victims of conflicts or natural catastrophes.
Last winter, Mongolia faced a severe Dzud, leading to much loss and suffering by the Mongolian people, especially the herders. The United Nations in Mongolia would like to recognize and thank all humanitarian aid workers, national and international, who worked to assist those herders and their families that were affected by the disaster. It was through their immediate response and selfless efforts that many families found means to continue their lives.
19 August marks the day when 22 employees of the UN were killed at a bomb attack in Baghdad in 2003 and has thus been chosen by the United Nations to commemorate the work of humanitarian workers all around the world.
19 August is also an occasion for the UN in Mongolia to remember Mr. Matthew Girvin, Ms. Bayarmaa, Ms. Sabine Metzner, Mr. Gerard Le Clair, Mr. Sh. Otgonbileg, Mr. Batzorig, Mr. Takahiro Kato and Mr. Minoru Masakiwho lost their lives on 14 January 2001 in a helicopter crash in Malchin soum of Uvs aimag during a humanitarian needs assessment mission to Dzud affected western aimags.
B.Khuder