Supported by smaller organizations for close to a century, International Friendship Day has been talked about by many but recognized by few. Starting this conversation was J.C. Hall, the founder of Hallmark Cards, in 1930. Years later, the Greeting Card National Association started supporting the day and it began to grow in popularity but did not gain traction with people because they thought of it as a marketing ploy to get people to buy more greeting cards.
Years later in 1958, the World Friendship Crusade, based on the idea of fostering peace through friendship, began lobbying with the UN to make July 30th officially International Friendship Day. Decades later in 2011, after much state-government conversation and community pleading, the United Nations General Assembly declared July 30th as International Friendship Day.
Now, the United Nations General Assembly acknowledges and urges all member states to recognize this day in their own culture and customs. Promoting friendship between all people, regardless of nationality, religion, race, or gender serves as a reminder that a friend is one conversation away.
There are so many ways to celebrate! Here are a few:
- Offer to help build a raised garden bed with someone
- Help your community set up a seed giveaway
- Join your local food pantry and help for a day
- Visit your local home improvement store and start conversations with someone in your aisle
- Call an old friend and have them over for a dinner using your garden vegetables
- Make a bouquet of flowers to give someone who looks like they’re having a bad day
Source
“International Friendship Day” Calendarr, accessed July 16, 2021, https://www.calendarr.com/united-states/international-friendship-day/.
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