King Charles has officially presented the first recipients of the newly established Humanitarian Medal during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.
Introduced in July 2023, the Humanitarian Medal recognizes individuals who provide critical support to communities affected by disasters. It honors both public service workers and those representing charitable organizations.
The medal is awarded for humanitarian efforts in response to three major crises: the ongoing conflict in Gaza, the Libya floods of September 2023, and the Moroccan earthquake of the same month. According to Buckingham Palace, honourees are recognized for their contributions to disaster relief or aid efforts in high-risk environments, including conflict zones.
During the ceremony, the King presented the medal to 31 individuals from various organizations, including the UK Emergency Medical Team, the FCDO Humanitarian Response Group, Medical Aid for Palestinians, the UK International Search and Rescue Team, the Moroccan Biodiversity and Livelihoods Association, the British Embassy in Rabat’s FCDO, the Humanitarian Stabilisation Operations Team, the Global Diversity Foundation, and the British Consulate General in Jerusalem.
Among the recipients was Dr. Matthew Newport, an anaesthetist who has traveled to Gaza five times to assist with the crisis. Speaking to the BBC after the event, he described the medal as "recognition that the work is valuable."
The design of the Humanitarian Medal carries symbolic meaning. It features laurel wreaths, representing triumph over crisis, and a banner inscribed with "For Humanitarian Service." The ribbon incorporates stripes of white, red, light blue, dark blue, and purple—each representing different aspects of humanitarian aid. White symbolizes civilians and peace, red signifies humanitarian organizations, light blue represents the NHS, while dark blue and purple denote other essential services.
This inaugural presentation underscores the UK’s commitment to recognizing and honoring those who risk their lives to support communities in need. Photo by Dan Marsh, Wikimedia commons.