Next Thursday, August 19, is World Humanitarian Day. This day, celebrated across the world, aims to raise public awareness about humanitarian work provides insight of what it means today to be an aid

worker. The 19th of August has been chosen by the United Nations to commemorate the work of humanitarian workers as it marks the

day when 22 employees of the UN, including the UN Special Representative Sergio Vieira de Mello, were killed in a bomb attack in 2003 in Baghdad. This year, focus will be on the actual work and achievements of humanitarian workers in the field. This year’s theme is “We are humanitarian workers”. Details of events that will mark the Day will be posted as they become available. There is also a Facebook page for more info.

This year, World Humanitarian Day comes at a time

when the international humanitarian community has been called upon to assist the countless number of people affected by the devastating floods in Pakistan, which some are calling the worst humanitarian disaster in recent history.

Below is The 2010 World Humanitarian Day project. It is a collaborative film shot in over 40 countries in under 9 weeks, on a shoestring budget – with the goal of showing the enormous diversity of places, faces and endeavors of humanitarian aid workers in 2010. It was filmed by humanitarian staff and freelance filmmakers from around the globe (over 50 contributors in total) with all time donated.