National Friendship Day, or simply Friendship Day, is observed annually on the first Sunday in August, and this year it will be observed on the 7th of August. Socialization is a common trait found in all humans because it helps us maintain societies and cultures and also plays a key role in individual development. However, there are many who do not like to be socialized, but almost all of us have made a friend once in our lives and enjoyed the joy of having a friend, so to highlight the importance of having friends in life, and to celebrate this amazing relationship, we annually celebrate National Friendship Day.
| Event | National Friendship Day |
|---|---|
| Date | August 7, 2022 |
| Day | Sunday |
| Significance | Friendship bonds and relationships are commemorated |
| Observed by | United States |
National Friendship Day 2022: History
Over time, many philosophers, historians, sociologists, and psychologists have toiled to describe the need and value of true friendship in human life. You may have heard many philosophy of Aristotle who described Philias (Greek word used to define Friendship) differently, such as Friendship for the Shake of benefits, mutual pleasure, and a friendship founded on shared values. However, the influence of Aristotle and Cicero in the 18th century successfully established tranquillity through the power of friendship among the people.
Even today, people all over the world follow Aristotle's teachings and lessons, which have had a significant impact on the current generation, as friendship can help all of us in establishing and maintaining world peace.
However, Hallmark Cards, an American company, created and established National Friendship Day in the 1930s. It was a marketing strategy to encourage people to buy greeting cards for their best friends to prove their relationship, but the day quickly gained popularity and began to be celebrated by a large population.
By recognizing the day's popularity, the United States proclaimed the celebration of National Friendship Day on the first Sunday of August in 1935. The national recognition aided the day's rapid popularity, and soon many other nations began celebrating the National Friendship Day alongside the United States.
The celebration reached a global level in 1998, when the General Assembly of United Nations designated July 30th as International Friendship Day, with the goal of establishing peace and friendship across national borders. The United Nations designated Winnie the Pooh as the world's Ambassador of Friendship.
Today, the Friendship Day is celebrated on various dates around the world, such as in India and the United States, where the National Friendship Day is celebrated on the same day, while Spain celebrates the Friends Day on July 20, Bolivia celebrates the Friendship Day on July 23, and Finland commemorates the day alongside Valentine's Day.
National Friendship Day 2022: Significance
Making friends or promoting the value of friendship is critical to ensuring global peace and stability. Whereas having true friends can enrich your life in many ways, a friend is the only one with whom you can share all your secrets, and their significant support of always standing by you in all the difficult situations is something unrivaled, but all you have to do is find a good and true friend in your life.
The value of having a good friend is clearly demonstrated during pandemic isolation periods, when the World Health Organization reported a high peak in depression among people due to severe isolation and loneliness. Thus, making a friend can help you improve your health by increasing your happiness and decreasing your stress, as we often cannot share all of our feelings with family.
Thus, to highlight the importance of friends in our lives and to encourage people to make new and true friends, we annually recognize National Friends Day on the first Sunday of August.
National Friendship Day 2022: Celebration
The National Friendship Day is celebrated differently in different countries, but we are doing our best to provide you with as much information as possible about the celebration of National Friendship Day around the world.
United States: The day is usually celebrated in the United States by giving a greeting note to a best friend and honoring the celebration of National Friendship Day by organizing a treat party and going out for dinner. The day includes all activities that allow you to spend more time in your comfort zone and socialize.
India: In India, it is customary to tie a friendship band on the hand of your best friend as a way to symbolize your close bond. Since India also celebrates Friendship Day alongside the US, all of the day's festivities are comparable to those in the US.
Finland: You can observe a mingling of the celebration of love and relationship on the occasion of Friendship Day because Finland observes both Valentine's Day and its own friendship day.
The celebration activities are the same everywhere, but the day's main focus is on appreciating the value of friendship in our lives.
National Friendship Day 2022: Facts
- Since the occasion is also celebrated outside of national borders, the Day is also known as World Friendship Day.
- According to a 10-year study by the Centre for Ageing at Flinders University, a person with a strong social network has a better chance of surviving when dealing with serious illness.
- Many health professionals believe that being lonely and lacking friends can be harmful to your health and eventually lead to depression.
- You may share up to 1% of your DNA with a close friend.
- It has been demonstrated through science that having a supportive friend group can lower stress levels.
National Friendship Day 2022: Faq
1. When is National Friendship Day observed?
We observe National Friendship Day on the first Sunday in August each year.
2. What motivates us to observe National Friendship Day?
The holiday is observed as a way to honor the friendship between friends and to demonstrate the value of a true friend in life.
3. When is the International Day of Friendship observed?
The United Nations recognizes July 30 as International Day of Friendship, which is observed worldwide.