World Humanitarian Day

Today, on the internationally-recognized World Humanitarian Day, the HUMANITARIAN COALITION (CARE Canada, Oxfam Canada, Oxfam Quebec, Save the Children Canada) takes the time to applaud the incredibly courageous and altruistic actions of humanitarian aid workers across the globe.

Workers in disaster areas are often just as affected by tragedy as those they are devoted to helping. In the face of tremendous adversity, these individuals push aside their own grief and discomfort and plunge into the aid effort. While nearly everyone with the means to do so is fleeing the disaster zone, humanitarians rush into the chaos.

In 2009, 278 humanitarian workers were victims of serious security incidents while carrying out their work. Often, the sacrifices and hardships faced by these workers are understated or lost in the abundance of suffering that characterizes any humanitarian crisis.

In the midst of unimaginable tragedy in flooded Pakistan, thousands of tireless humanitarians are handing out food, water, tents and hygiene products and providing medical care to the millions of Pakistanis living in a nightmare. While the people of Pakistan rely on these people for survival, we also count on humanitarians to deliver our messages of support and of hope. There can be no better time than this World Humanitarian Day to reflect on the selflessness of these heroes.

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For more information about Canadian humanitarians working abroad or to learn more about the HUMANTIARIAN COALITION, visit http://www.together.ca or contact one of the member agencies:

Marie-Eve Bertrand, CARE Canada
514 458-0057
marie-eve.bertrand@care.ca

Karen Palmer, Oxfam Canada
613 240-3047
karenp@oxfam.ca

Caroline Boily, Oxfam-Québec
514 513-0506
boilyc@oxfam.qc.ca

Denise Koulis, Save the Children Canada
647 291-1683
dkoulis@savethechildren.ca