World Humanitarian Day 2020: Let’s Celebrate Real Life Heroes

World Humanitarian Day is observed every year on 19 August to increase public awareness about humanitarian activities worldwide. The day honors all humanitarians who have worked in the promotion of any humanitarian cause and those who have lost their lives to fulfill the cause of their duty.

Why is 19 August celebrated as World Humanitarian Day?

This day is marked By United Nations. August 19 is the day when in 2003, the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights and Special Representative of the Secretary-General and 22 other people lost their lives to Iraq at the Canal Hotel bombing in Baghdad.
The day is of special importance to honor those warriors who sacrificed their lives for humanity.

What is humanity?

• The meaning of True Humanity is to be part of someone suffering in affliction & sorrow and to trying best to ease one’s suffering.
• The purest service is working towards mankind, welfare of society selflessly and pure heartedly. ‘If a man pays for service another renders, God always takes care and rewards those serving His children.
• The true meaning of any religion is humanity and mercy.
• Humanity means having concern for and helping others whenever and wherever possible.
• No one who does good work for others selflessly will ever come to a bad end, either here or in any world to come”– BhagwadGeeta
• For example, if you cross a road and you see someone is injured by a road accident, the first thing is to provide immediate aid whatever possible and not ignoring the situation, or helping the blind to cross the road.
• The point of providing humanitarian aid is to alleviate people’s suffering and maintain human dignity.
• We should realize what we are in this world because every religion teaches us humanity and one who serves humanity is the happiest man on the globe.
• Whatsoever how much rich a person is, he can’t buy inner happiness.Real happiness means your inner satisfaction which you get by serving humanity.
• No religion, caste, or race is higher than Humanity.A small act of kindness can make this world a peaceful place to live.

Let’s take a moment to appreciate Real-life heroes

While the entire world is under the dark cloud of the coronavirus pandemic, some people work round the clock to help those who are suffering. As a soldier guards the border day and night to protect the citizens of a country from external threats, these warriors take risks of their lives at the frontline to ensure the disease does not spread. They do Self-sacrifice in the service of others.

• Medical professionals
   Let’s appreciate those who have ethically treated patients and served the people irrespective of all odds.
   Doctors and health professionals have become the new version of our knight in shining armors to battle the pandemic.
   Nurses and medical staff provide the best possible care to the patients by risking their own lives.
   All the Epidemiologists and Virologists who have spent careers in lecture halls and laboratories have become the most trusted sources of information in an era of deep uncertainty. Those who are exposing themselves to invent the vaccine need to be appreciated.
• Who Feed the hungry under lockdown – When the whole country was under lockdown, people were inside the houses to protect themselves, some people came in front to feed the hungry. Many unsung heroes provided the best possible aid to those who were poor, hungry, and needy.
• Those who blow whistles –  All the policemen and women who control the city to prevent further spread of the disease.Many policemen in India got corona positive while serving others.
• Bank employees – As we know, money makes the world go around. Many bank employees keep people’s money accessible to them, banks are running, to ensure we have cash in this crisis and to prevent the economy fall.
• Sanitation workers – The country needs to be kept clean to prevent any other spread which is done by cleaners and garbage disposal workers who are still doing, some even without proper protective gear.
• Pharmacists –Pharmacies are ensuring a proper supply of medicines which is very essential in such pandemic. People can’t beat COVID-19 if they can’t keep control of their existing medical conditions.

How can we celebrate this day?

We can celebrate the world humanitarian day by working for humanity. We all together must come forwards to save humanity in the era of selfishness and cruelty. One should always be ready to serve humanity. Here is a list of things you can do to celebrate the day.

1. Tree plantation – We can make people aware and encourage them to save trees. We should plant & nurture more saplings for the coming generations to live in a healthy environment. We should take steps to save Mother Earth.
2. Nurturing the birds – Feeding birds by keeping feed & water for birds on rooftops. This is the first step to save certain species to go to extinct.
3. Blood donation – There are always cases in hospitals where blood is needed like accidental or thalassemia patients. Donating blood regularly can help those who are in need. None person should die due to lack of blood in blood banks.
4. Be the listener – Helping and counseling people who are under stress due to any problem.Being a good listener towards their issues.
5. Self-esteem – One can set up vocational centers such as stitching centers looms etc. as a source of employment in rural areas.
6. Saving life – Helping stray animals by providing them with food and medical aid and if possible an appropriate shelter.
7. Supporting and maintaining the dignity of the coronavirus warriors.

Conclusion

One must be always ready to serve humanity selflessly without expectation of any award. Those who serve humanity attain inner peace.

Writing Credits:- Lovepreet Arora