New Delhi | Jagran Lifestyle Desk: Friendship day is celebrated in India on the first Sunday of August. This year it will be celebrated on August 4. Apart from India, Bangladesh, Malaysia and the UAE will also celebrate Friendship Day on the coming Sunday.
History:
The idea was first proposed in 1958 in Paraguay by Joyce Hall, the founder of Hallmark cards in 1930, intended to be 2 August and a day when people celebrated their friendships by holiday celebrations.
It was celebrated by exchanging greeting cards, but in 1958, Dr. Ramon Artemio Bracho started a foundation called The World Friendship Crusade. He also coined the term ‘Friendship Day’.
The foundation tried to persuade the UN to recognise July 30 as World Friendship Day and in 2011 the UN declared July 30 as the International Day of Friendship. However, different countries celebrate this day on different dates.
Here's when Friendship Day is celebrated around the world:
Argentina: July 20
Bolivia: July 23
Brazil: July 20
Colombia: Second Saturday of March
Ecuador: July 14
Estonia: July 14
Finland: July 30
India: First Sunday of August
Malaysia: First Sunday of August
Mexico: July 14
Pakistan: July 19
Spain: July 20
Uruguay: July 20
United States: February 15
Venezuela: July 14
Significance:
The day signifies the importance of harmonious friendships that aim to promote love and peace.
"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one."