International Day of Friendship

International Day of Friendship is an International holiday which has been celebrated annually on July 30th since 2011. It was created in the hopes that the fostering of friendship between different peoples, cultures, and countries will inspire peace throughout the world. The United Nations also wanted to create a day that taught the youth of today the important of diversity and to promote understanding between different cultures. In some countries, it’s not celebrated on the 30th of July but is instead celebrated on the first day of August. In these countries, it is often known either as World Friendship Day, International Friendship Day or simply, Friendship Day.

History of International Day of Friendship

The concept of an International Day of Friendship was first proposed during the late 1950s by Dr. Ramon Artemio Bracho during a dinner party he was having with friends at his house in Puerto Pinasco, Paraguay. From this idea would spring the World Friendship Crusade, an organization that would petition the United Nations for several decades to get them to institute their idea for a World Friendship Day.

In the meantime, Friendship Day was created by Joyce Hall, the founder of Hallmark, and promoted heavily during the 1920s in the United States by the Greeting Card Association. However, consumers were somewhat leery of Friendship Day and saw it as a gimmick to sell more greeting cards. As a result, the holiday would fall off, for the most part, in the U.S., although the holiday has been picked up in Asia and is heavily celebrated there. Eventually, the United Nations decided to make July 30th the International Day of Friendship. They did so on July 27, 2011, with the passing of resolution A/RES/65/275. Today, it is celebrated widely all over the world.

Celebrating this Day

Today, governments, individuals, and community groups plan activities, launch initiatives and hold events to foster friendships in their communities and beyond. Other ways in which this holiday is celebrated is with parades that fly many flags from around the world, concerts that feature a variety of different artists and parties.

Conclusion

International Day of Friendship is the perfect day for people to get together, have fun and remind themselves that the diversity of people from all over the world need not divide us but should bring us all together. It’s also a great day to rekindle close personal relationships or just have a good time with friends.