International star Beyoncé, the United Nations and humanitarian aid organizations are launching a global campaign today to shine a spotlight on humanitarian work and encourage people around the world to get involved by doing something good for others.
World Humanitarian Day is a global day to celebrate humanity and the spirit of people helping people.
The World Humanitarian Day music video for Beyoncé’s song “I Was Here” will be filmed in the UN General Assembly Hall in New York in front of a live audience. It will be released globally on 19 August. Beyoncé and songwriter Diane Warren are donating the video to the campaign.
The campaign website, which is launched today, provides everyone an opportunity to unite and share his or her individual acts of good. On 19 August, the campaign aims to reach 1 billion people in a day with a single message.
The campaign is launched in collaboration with award-winning advertising agency Droga5, the UN humanitarian arm’s lead agency for special projects. Production company Ridley Scott & Associates and directors Kenzo Digital and Sophie Muller will help bring the initiative to life.
Communities and organizations across the globe will celebrate World Humanitarian Day through commemorations and public events, from Dubai to Geneva, Bangkok to Panama City and Addis Ababa to New York.
In 2008, the UN General Assembly designated 19 August World Humanitarian Day to raise public awareness of humanitarian assistance worldwide, recognize people who risk their lives to help people in need, wherever they are, and to mark the day in 2003 when 22 people lost their lives in an attack on the UN offices in Baghdad.
It takes only five simple steps to support World Humanitarian Day.
1. Visit www.whd-iwashere.org
2. Click on “Show Your Support”.
3. Choose to support World Humanitarian Day via Twitter, Facebook or both, and get the word out to your friends and followers.
4. Continue tweeting and posting in the lead-up to 19 August.
5. On 19 August, make your mark by doing something in your local community, and watch as everyone’s World Humanitarian Day messages are simultaneously shared around the world.
