A day to celebrate humanitarian heroes
World Humanitarian Day is a global celebration of people helping people. It is intended to raise public awareness of humanitarian assistance worldwide. In 2022, the theme for World Humanitarian Day is #ItTakesAVillage because, whenever and wherever people are in crisis, there are others who help them.
Often these people are human rights defenders.
Whether affected people themselves, leaping into action and demanding the authorities do their duty, or members of community organisations and NGOs - those on the lookout for the welfare of others are the heroes we celebrate on World Humanitarian Day.
But what happens when those rushing to help or speak out find themselves affecting vested interests? Or stepping on the to3es of the corrupt or the powerful? Sometimes the cause of a humanitarian crisis are armies, corporations, or organised crime - groups and individuals who might not want attention on their actions; who want to stifle the cries for justice.
These human rights defenders might be threatened, attacked, jailed or disappeared - just for helping others; just for doing the right thing.
These are the humanitarian heroes that Peace Brigades International (PBI) supports and protects. We work to keep alive and to help raise their voices.
In that sense, this Humanitarian Day, we also celebrate PBI’s staff and volunteers - particularly those in the field, around the world, from Colombia to Nepal, acting as unarmed bodyguards and human loudspeakers for human rights defenders and their messages.
Join them, and become a humanitarian hero. Whether as field personnel, as a volunteer in our office in London, or giving up some of your spare time online, PBI is always looking for people to help us help human rights defenders.
PBI is recruiting for field volunteers in Guatemala now. If you write to us at info@peacebrigades.org.uk, we can let you know when other field projects are recruiting, or tell you how you can help us in the UK. Another way to keep up to speed with opportunities is to follow us on Twitter or to sign up for our newsletter.
This World Humanitarian Day, we celebrate human rights defenders, and all those who support them.
