An exhibition of posters and photographs capturing images of humanitarian workers in action will be the background for the launch of the first World Humanitarian Day on Wednesday, 19 August at 10:30 a.m. in the Visitors Lobby, where Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Catherine Bragg will make statements.

The sixty-third session of the General Assembly decided in December 2008 to designate 19 August, the date of the 2003 Canal Hotel bombing in Baghdad, as World Humanitarian Day.  This inaugural year, the focus will be primarily on commemorating those whose lives have been lost while engaged in humanitarian operations, but emphasis will also be placed on current humanitarian needs and challenges.

The exhibition is sponsored by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, whose mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors.  It will remain on display in the Visitors Lobby until 9 September.

For more information on United Nations exhibitions,

Jan Arnesen at +1 212 963 8531 or

Liza Wichmann at +1 212 963 0089;

e-mail at arnesen@un.org or wichmann@un.org.