History of Friendship Day!

By: Sanidhya Subhadarsini

This day, celebrated on the first Sunday of August every year ‘The Friendship Day’ is worldwide known as a day for powerful bonds and tireless connections. While familial relationships are given by birth or biological ties, friendship is the affiliation we choose ourselves directly.  Friendship is a connection we choose entirely on our own based on mutual affection, shared interests, and deep comfort. But how does friendship truly work, and how did Friendship Day come into existence? 

True friendship doesn’t come from sharing colourful bands or from sitting next to each other in class. It comes from some of the very strong pillars of true connections—trust, emotional support, shared understanding, and honesty. These points can make a friendship genuine and steadfast. At its core, a relationship requires honesty, meaning that someone always has your back whenever needed! Friends act as an anchor during tough times like academic pressure and workloads; also, they motivate you to grow in every aspect. If your friend can’t help you succeed and doesn’t emotionally support you and your career, it’s not good kinship!

Friendship Day feels like a modern tradition, from sharing wristbands to making time for friends. But this special day runs all the way back to the 1930’s in America much earlier than World War Two! It all began when Joyce Hall, the founder of the Hallmark cards starts the day for everyone to send loving cards to their dearest companions. It wasn’t until 1958 when Dr. Ramon Artemio Bracho founded the “World Friendship Crusade” in Paraguay. He found that global connection could help bridge cultural differences between regions and to prevent conflicts between countries. Years later, in 2011, the United Nations stepped in and declared July 30th the international Friendship Day! Other countries like India observe the first Sunday of August as their national date. 

It is not necessary for Friendship Day to be a commercial holiday. It is a day to give value to people who bring immense joy and happiness to our lives. We must use the day to celebrate those individuals for their presence and promise to cherish these precious bonds.