Photos from Previous Years' Events

Since 2014, to mark World Humanitarian Day, an event has been held to celebrate and remember humanitarian workers – from the UK and around the world.  This ‘wreath and roses laying’ event took place within the grounds of Westminster Abbey at the Memorial for Innocent Victims following an Evensong in the Abbey.  It has continued to be held there each year while the project to establish a permanent public memorial went on.  

We are now sharing the good news that a dedicated global memorial for humanitarian workers has been created and a wonderfully suitable site in Gunnersbury Park, London, has been secured. Work has proceeded on the fabrication of the memorial itself and we are excited to say that the installation and launch of the memorial will now take place in the Autumn. This means that there will be no memorial event at Westminster Abbey on World Humanitarian Day on 19 August this year.

The new global Humanitarian Memorial will remember not only those who have died in humanitarian action but those inspired by humanitarian ideals. It is a celebration of lives well lived, rather than a traditional monument to the dead, encapsulating the best of humanitarian traditions and principles – humanity, independence, neutrality and impartiality. 

There will be a private launch event in October but due to the nature of the event attendees will be by personal invitation only. We will be sending out initial invitations for this by mid-August. We hope to invite as many families, friends, colleagues and organisations to honour those who lost their lives in humanitarian action as we can and celebrate humanitarianism.

We are delighted that the vision to create a lasting tribute to aid workers situated in an open access peaceful public place where visitors can interact with the memorial, learn and reflect will now be realised. We thank you all for your support.

For more information please contact humanitarianmemorial@visitgunnersbury.org.

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Important Notice about Humanitarian Memorial Event