Friendship Day facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Friendship Day |
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| Type | International |
| Date | 30 July internationally, with varying dates for individual countries |
| Frequency | Annual |
Friendship Day is a special day celebrated in many countries around the world. It's a time to honor and appreciate your friends. This day is also known as International Friendship Day or Friend's Day. It's a chance to show your friends how much they mean to you.
The idea of Friendship Day became popular with the help of the internet. Social media and mobile phones have helped many people celebrate it. Countries like India, Bangladesh, and Malaysia especially enjoy this day. Many people believe the tradition started in the United States in 1935.
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The History of Friendship Day
Friendship Day was first suggested in Paraguay in 1958. A person named Dr. Ramon Artemio Bracho had the idea during a dinner with friends. He wanted a global holiday to celebrate friendships. This led to the creation of the World Friendship Crusade. This group works to promote friendship among all people. They believe in friendship no matter someone's race, color, or religion.
The original date for Friendship Day was August 2nd. However, it was later moved to July 30th in many places. Paraguay has celebrated July 30th as Friendship Day every year since then.
In 1998, a special event happened at the United Nations. Winnie the Pooh was named the world's Ambassador of Friendship! This event helped spread the idea of friendship around the globe.
The World Friendship Crusade worked for many years to get the United Nations to recognize July 30th. Finally, in 2011, the United Nations agreed. They officially named July 30th as the International Day of Friendship. They asked all countries to celebrate it in ways that fit their local customs. This includes using education and activities to raise awareness about friendship.
When is Friendship Day Celebrated?
Friendship Day is celebrated on different dates around the world. Here are some of the dates:
Celebrations in February
In some countries, Friendship Day is celebrated on February 14th. This is the same day as Valentine's Day. These countries include Ecuador, Mexico, Venezuela, Finland, Estonia, and the Dominican Republic.
Celebrations in April
South Africa celebrates Friendship Day on April 16th. In Singapore, it's celebrated during the third week of April.
Celebrations in June
Ukraine celebrates Friendship Day on June 9th.
Celebrations in July
Many countries celebrate Friendship Day in July.
- Ecuador and Venezuela celebrate on July 14th.
- Pakistan celebrates on July 19th.
- Bolivia celebrates on July 23rd.
- Nepal celebrates on July 30th.
In Paraguay, July 29th is a day for giving gifts to close friends and family. People often go to bars and nightclubs to celebrate. A popular game is called the "Invisible Friend" (Amigo Invisible). In this game, people secretly pick a name from a group. On July 30th, they give a gift to the person whose name they picked. This game is played in schools and workplaces.
Since 2009, Peru has celebrated "El dia del Amigo" on the first Saturday of July. This date was chosen by a beer company called Pilsen Callao. They wanted to celebrate true friendship and make it different from Valentine's Day.
In Argentina, Brazil, Spain, and Uruguay, Friendship Day is celebrated on July 20th. It's a time for friends to gather and greet each other. This celebration became very popular thanks to Enrique Ernesto Febbraro. He was an Argentinian dentist. He was inspired by Neil Armstrong stepping on the Moon. He thought it was a great moment for friendship among nations. He sent 1,000 letters to friends around the world while Apollo 11 was still in space. He received 700 replies, which helped start the celebration.
In Argentina, Friend's Day is a huge event. For example, in 2005, so many people sent messages and made calls that mobile phone networks crashed! This happened in big cities like Buenos Aires and Mendoza. Restaurants and bars often get fully booked a week before the celebration.
Celebrations in August
In India, Friendship Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of August. This celebration became very popular among teenagers in the early 1990s. Bollywood movies helped make it famous. Friends often tie a "Friendship band" (a ribbon bracelet) on each other's wrists. This is a way to celebrate their bond. College students sometimes wear white t-shirts on this day. They write each other's names or friendship quotes on them.
Images for kids
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Friends tying a friendship bracelet.
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Friends having fun together.
See also
In Spanish: Día Internacional de la Amistad para niños
