International Day of Friendship 2025: When and Who Founded This Day?

The International Day of Friendship 2025 will be celebrated worldwide on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. This global observance was formally established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2011 to bring attention to the significance of friendship in cultivating peace and connecting people around the globe.

What is the International Day of Friendship?

International Day of Friendship is a yearly commemoration recognizing the significance of friendship in fostering peace, harmony, and understanding among people, communities, and nations. 

The United Nations invites people, groups, and governments around the world to hold events and activities that reinforce ties of friendship and promote reconciliation, harmony, and respect for each other.

Date and Global Observance in 2025

Date: July 30, 2025 (Wednesday)

Type: Official UN International Observance

Though the United Nations proposes July 30 as International Day of Friendship, there are nations such as India and the United States where the unofficial Friendship Day is usually celebrated on the first Sunday of August. In 2025, that unofficial observance will be on August 3. The UN-proposed date, however, is celebrated throughout the world as July 30.

Who Created the International Day of Friendship?

• Original Concept: A friendship holiday specifically was first conceived in the United States in 1930, initiated by Joyce Hall, the creator of Hallmark Cards.

• Global Concept: The current concept has its global origins with Dr. Ramon Artemio Bracho, who, on a dinner evening with his friends in Paraguay on July 20, 1958, established the World Friendship Crusade, a civil group dedicated to promoting friendship across cultural and social divides.

• UN Adoption: The World Friendship Crusade worked relentlessly in lobbying the United Nations for years. All their efforts bore fruit in April 2011 when the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution officially declaring July 30 as the International Day of Friendship and inviting all member states to observe the world of friendship in their own style.

Origin and Significance

The Day of Friendship was conceived out of the common hope of creating a culture of peace and understanding—particularly at a time of rising conflict and global polarization.

In proclaiming this day, the UN emphasized the potential of friendship not only between people, but as a means of overcoming differences between communities, nations, and ideologies.

The day inspires educational and public-awareness events that celebrate diversity, inclusion, and cross-cultural understanding.

How Is It Celebrated?

• Worldwide: UN agencies, schools, and NGOs organize campaigns and events on kindness, inclusivity, reconciliation, and peace.

• Locally: Individuals celebrate by sending greetings, exchanging small tokens, spending time with friends, or participating in community-building activities.

• Symbolism: In certain societies, symbols such as friendship bands or cards are shared as symbols of appreciation and endearing relationships.

International Day of Friendship in 2025 is a chance to affirm the importance of trust, empathy, and openness in our global society. It values more important than ever as the globe finds common ground and peace.