Egypt's FM highlights 'soft power' in Mali meeting with alumni    Egypt's foreign minister opens business forum in Niger, targets new partnerships    Egypt's FM delivers Al-Sisi message to Niger's leader, seeks deeper security ties    Rafah Crossing 'never been closed for one day' from Egypt: PM    Egypt will keep pushing for Gaza peace, aid: PM    Remittances from Egyptians abroad surge 70% YoY in July–May: CBE    Sudan's ambassador to Egypt holds reconstruction talks on with Arab League    Egypt's current account gap narrows, but overall BoP records deficit    Al-Sisi urges accelerated oil, gas discoveries, lower import bill    SCZONE signs $52.6m textile industry deals during China investment tour    Egypt hosts international neurosurgery conference to drive medical innovation    Egypt's EDA discusses Johnson & Johnson's plans to expand investment in local pharmaceutical sector    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Sisi calls for boosting oil & gas investment to ease import burden    EGX to close Thursday for July 23 Revolution holiday    Egypt, Senegal sign pharma MoU to unify regulatory standards    Egyptian Drug Authority discusses plans for joint pharmaceutical plant in Zambia    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt, Somalia discuss closer environmental cooperation    Egypt foils terrorist plot, kills two militants linked to Hasm group    Giza Pyramids' interior lighting updated with new LED system    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Korea Culture Week in Egypt to blend K-Pop with traditional arts    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



100 million people already taking part in World Humanitarian Day
Published in Bikya Masr on 15 - 08 - 2012

The United Nations campaign highlighting the work of the world's humanitarian workers has reached 100 million people through social media so far, the world body announced on Tuesday, describing it as its “first milestone" that gets it closer to the one billion mark, which it aims to reach by World Humanitarian Day on August 19.
The campaign, ‘I Was Here,' allows transmission of messages of support from people who have registered online across the world pledging humanitarian action, however big or small. Members of the public can then share their individual acts of good through the interactive website www.whd-iwashere.org.
Organized by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the campaign has gained momentum in the past few days following the video recording – in front of more than 1,200 fans, celebrities, humanitarian workers and dignitaries – on Friday night, at the General Assembly Hall at UN Headquarters in New York, of US performing artist Beyoncé singing the song “I Was Here.'
The video of the song, which Beyoncé and songwriter Diane Warren donated to the campaign, will premiere globally on August 19, with displays on big screens in the cities of Dubai, Geneva, Addis Ababa, as well as in New York City's Times Square, among other locales.
“Everyone can be a humanitarian. All it takes is one act to help someone else," the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Valerie Amos, said during the Friday night event, which was hosted by television journalist Anderson Cooper. “That's the spirit of people helping people."
During the event, Cooper interviewing former child soldier Ishmael Beah, who fought in Sierra Leone's civil war; Pernille Ironside, a UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) child protection officer; New York photographer Erin Dinan, whose non-profit organization One Sandwich at a Time feeds people living on the streets; and Laurent Vieira de Mello, whose father – a senior UN official, Sergio Vieira de Mello – died along with 21 other humanitarians in an attack in Iraq.
The General Assembly proclaimed August 19 as World Humanitarian Day in 2008 to commemorate that attack, which took place at the UN's offices in Baghdad's Canal Hotel in 2003. In addition to killing 22 people, another 150 people were injured.
The Day aims to honor those who have lost their lives in humanitarian service and those who continue to bring assistance and relief to millions, in addition to drawing attention to humanitarian needs worldwide and the importance of international cooperation in meeting those needs.


Clic here to read the story from its source.