Celebrated around the world on the 30^th of July, International Friendship Day was proclaimed in 2011 by the UN General Assembly, in the belief that friendship among peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.

The first International Friendship Day was celebrated on the 30^th of July 1958, in the north American state of Paraguay, by an international civil organization called World Friendship Crusade. Its founder, dr. Ramón Artemio Bracho, wished for the recognition of friendship as a noble and valuable feeling.

International Friendship Day is tightly linked to the UN’s promotion of the culture of peace, defined in Resolution A/RES/52/13 as a set of values, attitudes and behaviors that reject violence and prevent conflicts by addressing its root causes, according to the un.org website.

To celebrate International Friendship Day, the UN encourages governments, international organizations and civil society groups to organize events, activities and initiatives in order to contribute to the efforts of the international communities to promote dialogue, mutual understanding and reconciliation.

On a global scale, it is by cultivating friendship and developing strong bonds of trust that we can contribute to the fundamental changes that are necessary around the world. We can even avoid armed conflicts. On an individual level, doctors say that friends are extremely important at all stages of life, both for our physical and mental health. Learning to think about other people helps us lead a harmonious life.

International Friendship Day is also celebrated in Argentina and Brazil, but on the 20^th of July, while in Finland and Estonia, Friendship Day coincides with Valentine's Day on February 14.

International Best Friends Day is celebrated globally on the 8^th of June.