Opening Remarks at World Humanitarian Day ceremony: Under-Secretary-General and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes

Mr. Secretary-General.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Colleagues.

Thank you for joining us at this ceremony to mark the second World Humanitarian Day.

Today, the anniversary of the Canal Hotel bombing in Baghdad and of the death of Sergio Vieira de Mello, a great humanitarian, is a day to remember the tens of millions of people affected by war, natural disasters, sickness, and malnutrition, and those who are working to relieve their suffering.

Those in need desperately require our help, but our ability to reach them is, sadly, increasingly at risk.

We have no other agenda than saving lives and delivering the basics of life - food, water, shelter, medical care, and protection for the most vulnerable.

Yet in too many places where humanitarians work, whereas once we were respected, today we are targeted.

Violent attacks on humanitarian personnel are increasingly frequent and brutal.

2008 and 2009 were the two deadliest years yet for humanitarian staff, with more than 100 killed each year (102 killed in 2009 and 122 in 2008)

So far in 2010, more than 40 humanitarian workers have been killed while carrying out their work.

Earlier this month, 10 health workers were brutally murdered in Afghanistan, while trying only to help those in need.

We face a future in which I fear more humanitarian aid will be needed to cope with the impact of climate change and natural hazards, and the rising numbers of civilian victims of internal conflicts.

If humanitarian aid workers do not have full and free access, and are not able to work freely, many hundreds of thousands of the people they need to reach will not receive the quantity or quality of assistance they require.

Better acceptance of humanitarian work and greater respect for humanitarian principles, by state and non-state actors alike, are therefore desperately needed. I appeal to all concerned to act accordingly.

The theme of today is "I am a humanitarian".

We want to make clear that aid workers represent no one ideology or standpoint. They reflect all cultures, ideologies and backgrounds.

The vast majority of aid workers come from the countries in which they work. Most of the victims of attacks on humanitarian workers are these same national staff.

These brave individuals are united by their shared commitment to humanitarianism, which is a universal value and a universal responsibility. They work on behalf of everyone.

Preventing them from doing their work, or attacking them while they do it, harms no-one more than the most vulnerable.

So today, as the catastrophic crisis in Pakistan continues to unfold, is a good time for a renewed commitment to humanitarian principles by all concerned.

This Day is also being marked with concerts, events and commemorations at UN offices around the world.

I now invite the Secretary-General to make a statement, after which a short film highlighting the "I am a humanitarian" theme will be shown.

Thank you.