International Day of Friendship
Today celebrates all of the friendships in your life.
Today celebrates all of the friendships in your life.
Names: International Day of Friendship, International Friendship Day
Today celebrates all of the friendships in your life.
Origin
The United Nations (UN) passed a resolution in 2011 declaring July 30 International Day of Friendship. The UN believes by cultivating good friendships, we can be better equipped to meet the challenges of the world around us.
According to the English language edition of The Economic Times, the International Day of Friendship was proposed even earlier, in 1958. Dr. Ramon Bracho, of the World Friendship Crusade, an organization dedicated to promoting friendship, proposed the holiday in Paraguay that year.
International Friendship Day is celebrated throughout the world. In India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates and the United States, the International Day of Friendship is usually celebrated on the first Sunday of August, rather than July 30.
Traditions
As a UN awareness day, governments, nonprofits and educational institutions may hold seminars and conferences discussing the importance of friendship and its place in our modern society.
As a holiday to celebrate your friends, some may honor the International Day of Friendship by getting together with their BFFs or exchanging small gifts. It is a good time to reach out to those you love and let them know how important their friendship is to you.
What to say
There is no traditional greeting for the International Day of Friendship. To participate, call up a good friend and celebrate one another with a fun activity.