By Raymart Escopel
ILOILO City – The World Humanitarian Day is being held annually in order to pay tribute to the 22 humanitarian workers who died in the bombing of United Nations (UN) headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq in 2003.
Since 2008, the UN assembly has designated August 19 as World Humanitarian Day to create awareness among various communities around the world about the humanitarian duties for the people to have better lives.
This year, Panay Island celebrated it for the first time.
According the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) Iloilo head Kenga Shandralingam, the event was held for the first time in Panay due to the number of humanitarian actors who engaged themselves in helping the needy after the typhoon “Yolanda” [international name: Haiyan].
He added that the event also aims to draw support from the people.
Shandralingam mentioned that this year’s celebration is remarkable as they launched an online program called “Messengers of Humanity.” The program gives everyone the opportunity to become messengers of humanity by engaging themselves in humanitarian operations by just sharing the information online.
In addition to that, UNOCHA is also organizing humanitarian heroes in order to establish volunteers that will offer themselves for unwanted calamities that may occur.
“This event is being organized all over the world and taking on board different people. They have the power, the capacity and the power to do something for the people,” said Shandralingam.
In his assessment, Shandralingam said that humanitarian efforts in the province of Iloilo are very well coordinated among the stakeholders.
“They are doing a very good job using their limited resources. There are some who need livelihood and resettlement and it will take time to have a better life. But in terms of other needs, they are meeting all the basic needs with the support of different various stakeholders,” he noted.
The first World Humanitarian Day celebration in Panay was highlighted with programs held at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol and SM City Iloilo.
Among the activities included an exhibit of the various humanitarian efforts done by the different government agencies and non-government organizations, messages of support from the various participating agencies and showcase of talents from the winners of various activities done in line with the celebration of World Humanitarian Day.
Among the various groups that supported the celebration include the Iloilo City and Province governments, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), 3rd Infantry Division, and the province of Capiz.
Panay News was one with the celebration as the official print media partner of the event./PN
