On 1 October, members of the humanitarian community came together to remember the lives lost while helping others, and to reflect on our collective responses keeping humanitarian workers safe.
The Commemorative Evening
On 1 October 2025, The Humanitarian Memorial was unveiled in Gunnersbury Park, West London. The Memorial honours humanitarian aid workers who have been killed or injured in the course of their work, and celebrates humanitarianism and those who continue to put their lives at risk to help others in need.
Last week, to mark one year since it’s unveiling, representatives from across the humanitarian community gathered to commemorate those who have lost their lives in service to others. The evening began with reflections from humanitarian workers Rasha Bakeer (Palestine Red Crescent Society) and Khalid Qurashi (Sudan Emergency Response Rooms). Dr Elaine Laycock, the founder of the Humanitarian Memorial Partnership, then read her poem honouring the lives lost carrying out humanitarian work, before a moving choral performance from the Coro Choir.
After the moment of reflection at the Memorial, we also heard from The Worshipful The Mayor of Ealing Faduma Mohamed, Abby Stoddard (Humanitarian Outcomes), and Will Hines (UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office). Their reflections underscored the necessity for safe and sustainable access to those in need, and the importance of holding states accountable to violations of International Humanitarian Law.
Protecting Humanitarians Together: Strengthening UK Leadership and Action
Before the commemorative evening, GISF and the Humanitarian Memorial Partnership co-hosted a roundtable discussion with 35 leaders from across the humanitarian community. This included international NGOs, coordination bodies, government, and humanitarian workers themselves.
The discussion, titled Protecting Humanitarians Together: Strengthening UK Leadership and Action, focused on strengthening UK leadership, accountability, and action to improve the protection of humanitarian workers worldwide. A document outlining key outcomes from the discussion will be available shortly.
Creative Futures
Earlier in the day, students from a local school participated in a Creative Futures workshop, led by artists Zafeerah Heesambee and Tasnim Mahdy. The workshop encouraged students to explore humanitarian themes, including through responding to the poem Home by Warsan Shire.
