Thursday, August 19, 2010

Are You a Humanitarian?


Happy World Humanitarian Day, everybody!

If you helped a grand mother cross a street, if you volunteered at your local American Red Cross, if you donated to Pakistan flood relief, if you are now in a developing country teaching somebody to read and write, if you donated your Facebook status to a good cause-you are a humanitarian! Because to be a humanitarian means to do good for anyone in need, making no distinction on the basis of religion, race, gender, or political views.

The United Nations note 4 core principles of a humanitarian:
1. Humanity: "human suffering must be addressed wherever it is found."
2. Neutrality: "humanitarian actors must not take sides."
3. Impartiality: "humanitarian action must be carried out on the basis of need alone."
4. Operational Independence: "humanitarian action must be autonomous."

http://ochaonline.un.org/whd/index.html

In a nut shell a true humanitarian sees only what unifies us all, not what divides us. For a true humanitarian we are all human and that's it.

Are you a humanitarian?

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