Friendship is one of the most sacred bonds in the lives of many. A friend is someone who supports you and makes every journey enjoyable. To honour this bond, in India, the first Sunday of August is designated as Friendship Day every year. This year, it falls on August 7. No matter how challenging a task may appear alone, having a friend by your side can make it simple. Friendship recognises no boundaries and teaches the art of caring and loving to anybody who values this connection, from the young to the old.
History
Though in India, Friendship Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of August, International Friendship Day is celebrated across the world on July 30.
The United Nations General Assembly recognised International Friendship Day in 2011. The purpose of the day is to promote goodwill between nations, people, cultures, and individuals as a means of bridging cultural divides and igniting peace initiatives. The resolution places a strong emphasis on the necessity of involving young people—future leaders—in community activities that celebrate diversity and advance intercultural understanding.
Significance
The United Nations highlights that the world continues to grapple with issues and challenges like violence, poverty, and human rights abuses, among others. These tend to undermine the security, development, peace, and social harmony among the world's population. In order to overcome these challenges, friendship can serve as the simplest yet effective tool to defend and promote a shared spirit of human solidarity.
Friendship can help forge strong bonds of trust between people and communities so that we can together contribute to building a peaceful and safe future. It also generates a passion for a better world where all are united for a great cause.
Celebration
You can celebrate Friendship Day in many ways with your closest friends, such as watching friendship movies together, participating in fun activities with them, sending gifts to your friends who live far away or sharing a photo collage with them on social media, or going out to eat at your favourite restaurant. Aside from these things, you should also let your friend know how much you value them.
