The first-ever World Humanitarian Summit, set to take place in Istanbul on 23-24 May 2016, is a global call to action by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

THE SUMMIT HAS THREE MAIN GOALS:

1. Reaffirm our commitment to humanity and humanitarian principles
2. Initiate actions and commitments which enable countries and communities to prepare for and respond to crises and be more resilient to shocks.
3. Share best practices which help save lives around the world, placing affected people at the centre of humanitarian action and alleviating suffering.

The world is at a critical juncture. We are witnessing the highest level of human suffering since the Second World War. Nearly 60 million people, half of them children, have been forced from their homes due to conflict and violence. The human and economic cost of disasters caused by natural hazards is also escalating. In the last two decades, 218 million people each year were affected by disasters; at an annual cost to the global economy that now exceeds $300 billion.

Never before has humanitarian action delivered so much for so many vulnerable people around the world. But unless we adopt more effective ways to address their suffering, we cannot aspire to a world of peace, security and sustainable development where no one is left behind. Decisive, collective action is needed to uphold our shared responsibility to save lives and enable people to live lives of dignity.

At the Summit, world leaders from Government, business and civil society will announce commitments to deliver on the Agenda for Humanity, and launch new initiatives to address pressing needs that were identified during the consultation process. Commitments will also be gathered through an online Commitments Platform. This will result in a set of actions that will enable the world to better prepare for and respond to crises, and become more resilient to shocks.

Over 5,000 participants are expected at the WHS, including Heads of State and Government, and leaders from crisis-affected communities, CEOs from the private sector, heads of multilateral organizations, international and national NGOs, youth representatives, civil society, diaspora, civil-military, and academia.

The Summit will take place on 23-24 May 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey. It will be held at the Istanbul Congress Center (ICC) and side events will be held in the adjacent Lutfi Kirdar Convention & Exhibition Center (LKCC).

THE SUMMIT PROGRAMME WILL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING MAIN FEATURES:

1. An opening ceremony and plenary: Statements by the Head of State or Government of the Host Country, the United-Nations Secretary General, and other VIPs including Heads of State or Government, UN Goodwill Ambassadors and Special Advocates, and representatives from crisis-affected communities.
2. Announcement Plenary: Statements by global leaders announcing commitments to take forward the Agenda for Humanity.
3. High-Level Leaders’ Roundtables: Focusing on some of the great humanitarian challenges of our time, these will provide an opportunity for leaders to make commitments and announce bold actions in support of the Agenda for Humanity.
4. Special sessions: These will focus on important partnerships and initiatives spurred by the Summit process.
5. Side events: Governments, international and non-governmental organizations, civil society, the private sector and other stakeholders will have the opportunity to organize events in the form of briefings, seminars, workshops and panel discussions in the margins of the Summit.
6. Exhibition fair and Innovation marketplace: Spaces dedicated to showcasing the work, products, and programmes of governments, organizations, agencies, companies and other institutions and partners in support of humanitarian action.
7. Commitments platform: An online platform will allow governments, humanitarian organizations, businesses and regional, sub-regional and sub-national stakeholders, among others, to register commitments to action or to join existing initiatives in support of the five core responsibilities and the Agenda for Humanity.

The World Humanitarian Summit will result in a set of commitments to action that will enable the world to better prepare for and respond to crises, and become more resilient to shocks. This will represent a major shift in how the global community prevents human suffering by preparing for and responding to crises.

The implementation of the commitments should begin right away. The Secretary-General has called for real progress within the next three years.

The major outcomes of the Summit will be captured in the Secretary-General Chair’s Summary of the proceedings. A summary of the main Commitments to Action will also be produced and an online action platform will showcase all the commitments gathered at the Summit, as well as those from stakeholders contributing from around the world. A report of the Secretary-General on the outcomes of the Summit will also be prepared in accordance with General Assembly resolution 70/106.