UN Commemorates 20th Anniversary of Bombing of Its Headquarters in Baghdad

The United Nations observed the 20th anniversary of the suicide bombing of its headquarters in Iraq, which took place on Aug. 19, 2003, in Baghdad.

The date of the Baghdad bombing was designated by the UN General Assembly in 2008 as World Humanitarian Day.

During a brief ceremony at the UN headquarters in New York, Atul Khare, the UN undersecretary-general for the Department of Operational Support, laid a wreath in front of a plaque for the bombing.

In his message for World Humanitarian Day, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said: "On that dark day, we lost 22 colleagues, including Special Representative Sergio Vieira de Mello. That tragedy marked a change in the way humanitarians operate."

He continued: "On this World Humanitarian Day, we salute the courage and dedication of humanitarian aid workers everywhere. We reaffirm our full support for their determined and life-saving efforts across the world. We celebrate their unwavering dedication to serving all people in need -- no matter who, no matter where, no matter what."

The bombing occurred in the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, which was used by the United Nations as its headquarters in Iraq.

The bombing killed 22 persons, including the UN Special Representative in Iraq Sergio Vieira de Mello, and wounded more than 100 others.