Friendship Day in India

“Happy Friendship Day” - a day dedicated to the human bond of friendship. In India, this day is observed on the first Sunday in the month of August. But do you know that apart from saying Happy Friendship Day in India, you can also say the same in other countries, only perhaps on a different day? Yes, it is true, the Happy Friendship Day date in India is although similar to some but different from most other countries. Also, this day is celebrated internationally in several countries as Friend's Day or International Friendship Day. So, let us attempt to learn more about how this special day for friends came to be about, on what date it is observed in different countries and more. 

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An illustration of Happy Friendship Day 

Origins in Consumerism and Initial Celebrations 

As per the works of Schmidt, E.L published in The Journal of American History, under the title, "The Commercialisation of the Calendar: American Holidays and the Culture of Consumption, 1870–1930", the idea of friendship day was initially promoted by the industry that made greeting cards. First proposed in Paraguay, Joyce Hall, who had founded Hallmark Cards, in 1930 is said to have originated this custom of celebrating friendship day. Initially, the date marked for friendship day celebrations was 2nd August, a date when people celebrated and honoured their friendships by observing holiday celebrations. The National Association of greeting cards in the 1930s promoted Friendship Day. 

Consumer resistance, however, restricted this move. Given that this move by the association was considered an obvious gimmick for the promotion of greeting cards, the number of cards for Friendship available in the USA in the 1940s had greatly dwindled. The custom of celebrating the holiday had also mostly died out in the country. 

Revival of Friendship Day

After the decline of the celebration of Friendship Day in the US, there is little to no evidence of Europe taking up the custom of celebrating this day. However, several countries in Asia have kept the custom of celebrating friendship day alive and also revitalised the same. The reason for the revival of interest in celebrating Friendship Day can be attributed majorly to the widespread availability and use of the internet and the popularity of social networking sites, particularly in the countries of Bangladesh, India and Malaysia. 

Social media and digital communication have been rapidly enhanced in these countries as evidenced by the growing number of mobile phone users who have contributed towards popularising the custom of celebrating friendship day.  

World Friendship Day and the United Nations

Dr Ramon Artemio Bracho is the one who had initiated the idea of World Friendship Day. On 20th July 1958, when Dr Bracho was in Puerto Penasco (a small town located on River Paraguay) for dinner with his friends, he came up with the idea of this day globally. This idea of the World Friendship Crusade was thus born out of a humble meeting among friends. This crusade is a foundation promoting fellowship and friendship among human beings irrespective of their colour, religion or race. For many years, this World Friendship Crusade had tried to rope in the UN in order for the organisation to recognise World Friendship Day on the date of 30th July. 

It was finally in the year 2011 that the UN decided to commemorate the day and recognise it as an International Friendship Day. It invited its Member States to celebrate this day by observing various customs and cultures of their regional, national as well as local communities. The celebration to be obsessed was by means of education and activities raising public awareness. The UN has said on its official website dedicated to International Friendship Day that the world is subjected to many crises, challenges and divisive forces ranging from violence, poverty to abuse of human rights and many more. All of these pose a threat to world security, peace and development and also prevent social harmony. The key to confronting these challenges and crises lies in addressing the root causes. Along with this, efforts should also be made to promote and defend the spirit of solidarity that humanity shares, which often takes a number of forms, friendship being the most simple of them all. 

Based on UNESCO’s proposal, the initiative of the International Friendship Day defines the Culture of Peace as behaviours, attitudes and a set of values that disregard violence. Also, this day is an endeavour undertaken for the prevention of conflicts by addressing the root causes of the same and an effort to solve problems. This was then adopted in 1997 by the UN General Assembly. 

Thus, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the International Day of Friendship in 2011 with the notion that celebrating the friendship between individuals, cultures and countries can help to bridge the gaps between communities and lay the inspiration for promoting efforts of peace globally. 

The resolution to observe this day by the UN is emphasized by the involvement of young people and envisioning them as leaders of the future in diverse activities of the community by the inclusion of different cultures. This, in turn, promotes respect for diversity and international understanding among people. This International Day of Friendship promoted by the UN encourages civil society groups, international organisations and governments to take initiatives and organise activities and events that promote healthy dialogue among diverse civilisations and further the efforts of the international community. This day marks the feeling of mutual understanding, solidarity and reconciliation on a global scale.

Happy Friendship Day Date in India and the World

• In India, friendship day (or the Indian Happy Friendship Day) is observed on the first Sunday of August every year. The same is also the custom in Bangladesh, UAE, the USA and Malaysia.

• Following the World Friendship Day Crusade in Paraguay by Dr Bracho, the nation celebrates 30th July as Friendship Day. Nepal also observes the day on the same date. 

• In Pakistan, Friendship Day is observed on 19th July every year. 

• 23rd July is celebrated as Friendship day in Bolivia.

• Finland, Mexico, Estonia, Venezuela and Mexico observe Valentine’s Day, i.e., 14th February as Friendship Day. 

• Peru observes the first Saturday of July as Friendship Day. 

• Spain, Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina celebrate Friendship Day on 20th July every year. 

• Oberlin, Ohio celebrates 9th April as Friendship Day each year. 

Friendship Day in India: Interesting Quotes

1. "I would rather walk with a friend in the dark than alone in the light" - Helen Keller

2. "There is no possession more valuable than a good and faithful friend" - Socrates

Did You Know? 

In the year 1998 at the United Nations, in honour of friendship day, Nane Annan who was the wife of Kofi Annan, the then UN Secretary-General nominated Winnie the Pooh as the Ambassador of Friendship of the world. The Disney Enterprises and UN Department of Public Information co-sponsored this event which Kathy Lee Gifford had co-hosted. 

Friendship is a rare bond that brings people of diverse backgrounds together. Friendship Day is a day marked to celebrate such bonds. As the UN says, only through the accumulation of the bonds of camaraderie and establishment of strong ties backed by trust, can we make a genuine contribution to the urgently required fundamental shifts in order to be able to achieve long-lasting stability. This will help in weaving a safety net for humanity and provide a sense of security. In turn, the celebration of this day will help in envisioning a better world fueled by the passion for the greater good inspired by this unparalleled human bond.