International Friendship Day 2024: Facts, Quotes & Celebration

Friendship is one of the most genuine and heartfelt connections between individuals, reflecting the deep affection we have for one another. National Friendship Day, celebrated on the first Sunday of August, is a dedicated occasion to honor and appreciate these invaluable bonds. It’s a day set aside to recognize the significance of friends in our lives and to show gratitude for their unwavering support and companionship. This special observance encourages us to reach out to old friends, rekindle connections, and make new ones. In this blog, we’ll delve into the history, fascinating facts, memorable quotes, and ways to celebrate International Friendship Day 2024. Let’s explore how this day can enhance our appreciation for the friendships that enrich our lives.

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Friendship Day 2024 Date

International Friendship Day is celebrated annually on July 30th. In 2024, this special day will fall on Tuesday, July 30th. This global observance is dedicated to celebrating the bonds of friendship across cultures and nations. Whether you’re planning to reconnect with old friends, make new ones, or simply express your appreciation for those who enrich your life, mark your calendar for July 30th, 2024. It’s the perfect opportunity to celebrate the enduring value of friendship and to spread goodwill and joy.

In India, Friendship Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of August each year. For 2024, Friendship Day will be observed on August 4th. This date is dedicated to appreciating and celebrating the special bonds of friendship that enrich our lives. It’s a perfect occasion to express gratitude, reconnect with old friends, and make new memories with those who matter most. Mark your calendar for August 4th, and get ready to celebrate the joy and significance of friendship in your life.

Find below the different dates of celebration of friendship day across the world.

History of International Friendship Day 2024

Let us check the history behind the celebration of International Friendship Day.

• Origin of  the world’s friendship day was set about in the year 1930 by Joyce Hall. Who was well known as the creator of hallmark card. At first it was chosen to be celebrated on 2 August as an official holiday celebration and later in 1920 the Greeting Card National Association upgraded friendship day but it led to consumer resistance.
• In the year 1958, in Paraguay it was first accepted as International Friendship Day. The day falls on different dates in different countries. First it was marked as July 30 in the year of 1958 by the World Friendship Crusade.
• On April 27 in the year 2011 (65^th session) the General Assembly of the United Nation formally announced July 30 as International Friendship Day. Although countries like India celebrates the  first Sunday of August as National Friendship Day.
• In 1998, the UN secretary general Kofi Annan marked Winnie the Pooh as the world’s ambassador of friendship day at the United Nations. Thereby, co-sponsored by the public information and Disney enterprises of the UN department and co-hosted by Kathy Lee Gifford.
• The plan behind was first put forward by Dr. Ramon Artemio Bracho on 20^th July 1958 during a dinner with his friends and this conference lead to  the Worlds Friendship Crusade. The foundation which propagates the bond of friendship among all human beings.

Friendship Day 2024 Theme

The theme for International Friendship Day 2024, “Embracing Diversity, Fostering Unity,” underscores the importance of celebrating our differences while building a sense of solidarity across cultures and communities. This theme highlights how diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences enrich our friendships and strengthen our global connections. By embracing diversity, we learn to appreciate the unique qualities that each person brings to the table, and by fostering unity, we create a supportive and inclusive environment where all relationships can thrive. This theme encourages individuals and communities to actively engage in bridging cultural gaps, promoting mutual understanding, and working together to create a more harmonious and connected world.

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Importance of International Friendship Day 2024

Good friendship will help you in improving your life. They keep encouraging and try to build out the best version of yourself by holding in your worst time and by being a part of your happiness. Let’s know some important roles of friendship.

• Good friend for Good health

As we know good relation always promotes a good physical health. By having a closest friend to share your tough time as well as happiness will reduce the risk of health issues like depression, sudden attacks and so on.

• Friends Develop Healthy Bearing

Friendship plays a role in developing changes in lifestyle which has a great impact on one’s well-being. A good friend helps you in attaining goals and to be the best by refurnishing your unhealthy behaviors.

• Friends for Emotional Support

Having a good friend at a tough time is a great relief. Sharing and disclosing your weights with a friend will ease your pain and support you by healing your mental stress.

• Put Up Self confidence

We all are very much insecure about our personal character and talents. where it’s a big role of a friend to build self-esteem and self-confidence in one another. They’ll always appreciate and teach you how to love yourself.

• Finds the Best You

A good friend will always value your time and presence. Always surround yourself with positive people and thoughts. They know what is best for you and a good friend will bring out the best version of yours.

Friendship Day 2024 Significance

Friendship Day in India, while not a public holiday, is widely recognized and embraced. It emphasizes the importance of cherishing friendships and the positive impact they have on our lives. It’s a day to reflect on the value of friends and to nurture these relationships with care and appreciation.

So, as you prepare to celebrate Friendship Day in India this year, think about the special ways you can show your friends how much they mean to you. Whether through a heartfelt message, a thoughtful gift, or spending quality time together, it’s a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the enduring bonds of friendship.

Some Interesting Facts on Friendship Day 2024

Read below few facts about friendship.

• Paraguay is known as the first country to celebrate International Friendship Day.
• In 1967, a rock band named Beatles released a song ‘with a little help from my friends’ as part of the tenth anniversary of Friendship Day.
• Did you know? Third Sunday of September is dedicated to all women’s to celebrate Womens Friendship Day.
• ‘You are less stressed by everyday life when you are surrounded by true friends’ says psychology.
• Did you know? According to a study it is found that people over the age of 70 years are likely found to live 22% longer life if they had a network of real friends.
• Productivity data shows an increase in 7% of productivity if the work is done along with friends.
• Did you know? You need to have at least 2-3 friendships at a time to get know about real benefits.
• Human brain has the capacity to keep only 150 relations or friendship.
• Did you know? According to psychology human brain can keep trust once per person, once it is broken it can’t be the same again.
• Study says! Animals are able to form friendship with ones that are not from their own species.
• One out of twelve will last from your 396 lifelong friends that you make.
• It is proven that a good company reduces stress.
• Did you know? 1% of our DNA is shared by close friends. Good friends are said to be genetically similar.

Friendship Day 2024 Celebrations

In India, Friendship Day is marked by various traditions and customs. Here are some common ways people celebrate:

• Exchanging Gifts: Friends often exchange gifts, such as cards, flowers, or personalized tokens of appreciation. Gifts can range from simple tokens like friendship bands to more elaborate presents depending on personal preferences.
• Sending Messages: Many people use the occasion to send heartfelt messages and wishes to their friends via social media, text messages, or handwritten notes. It’s a time to express gratitude and affection.
• Organizing Get-Togethers: Friends often plan gatherings, parties, or outings to celebrate the day together. This could include dining out, enjoying a movie, or participating in fun activities that strengthen their bond.
• Creating and Sharing Content: In the digital age, people share their friendship stories, memories, and photos on social media platforms, celebrating the value of their friendships and connecting with friends online.

International Friendship Day 2024 Activities

Find below few activities that can be observed as part of friendship day celebration.

• Create your own friendship day gift like bands or any other creative presents for your best ones.
• Make a scrap book for your friend by including all your sweet moments together, add photos, detail their characters, you can also include some art.
• Conduct a speech competition and let each individual  share their thoughts about friendship.
• Surprise your friends by having long conference calls or meetings.
• Go for a movie title about friendship.
• Organize a picnic and make the best moments out of it. You can also cook for your friends.
• Camping out is another option which will have lots of fun.
• Invite and arrange a friendship party at your home.
• Every year celebrate this day at least by fulfilling the wish of your one friend.
• Spread awareness on the importance of friendship between spouses. Conduct activities in your locality for the couples to get to know each better and strengthen their bond of friendship
• Conduct activities at school that will help to strengthen the bond among students irrespective of differences. Team bonding games can be conducted to help them build their understanding with each other

International Friendship Day 2024 Quotes 

Following are few quotes on friendship.

• “One loyal friend is worth ten thousand relatives.”- Euripides
• “You find out who your real friends are when you’re involved in a scandal.”- Elizabeth Taylor
• “It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.”- Friedrich Nietzsche
• “Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.”- Helen Keller
• “True friends stab you in the front.”- Oscar Wilde
• “Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It’s not something you learn in school. But if you haven’t learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven’t learned anything.” – Muhammad Ali
• “Friendship is always a sweet responsibility, never an opportunity”.- Khalil Gibran
• “True friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it is lost.”- Charles Caleb Colton
• “The most I can do for my friend is simply be his friend.”- Henry David Thoreau
• “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.”- King Solomon
• “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.”- Martin Luther King, Jr.

International Friendship Day 2024 Messages

• “A good friend is like a four-leaf clover; hard to find and lucky to have.” – Irish Proverb
  
• When it hurts to look back and you’re afraid to look ahead, you can look beside you and your best friend will be there.
• You are my best friend, my human diary, and my other half. You mean the world to me and I love you.
• Sometimes being with your best friend is all the therapy you need
• A good friend knows all your stories. A best friend helped you write them.

Let’s all together celebrate this day to fame the bond of love and respect of great relations called friendship. Call a friend whom  you have not spoken since long and check for their well being. At least involve in one activity that strengthen the bond of friendship. It can be at home or outside, but do involve in promoting the value of friendship. So, here’s wishing everyone out there, Happy International Friendship Day!