The International Day of Human Fraternity is a day that’s observed annually on February 4th, and it’s a holiday that promotes worldwide religious and cultural tolerance. It’s also a day observed with special events all over the world. These events are attended by religious leaders, UN member states, and civil society representatives.

Of course, it’s also a day when ordinary citizens are encouraged to come together and reach across lines of race, religion, and caste. It seems like the past few decades have only contributed to a culture of intolerance, but that doesn’t have to be the case anymore.

We can all work together to form a better world, and that begins with raising our awareness about cultures and beliefs that are different from our own. And this holiday reminds us of that fact.

The History of International Day of Human Fraternity

This holiday was created on December 21, 2020, by the UN General Assembly. On this day, they declared February 4th as the International Day of Human Fraternity.

The 4th of February was chosen for this holiday because it commemorates the historical meeting between Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmad al-Tayyib, on this date. The first celebration of this holiday occurred in 2021. This holiday has been observed ever since.

Observing International Day of Human Fraternity

There are a variety of events that are held on this day. All over the world, in UN member states, there are interfaith services, educational seminars, exhibitions, live streaming events, and global TV webcasts.

Ordinary citizens can participate in some of these events, or they can choose to learn about other religions or cultures, engage in discussions about the effect of intolerance on the world, or attend interfaith prayer services. People can also spread the news about this holiday using the hashtag #InternationalDayOfHumanFraternity online.