Have you ever heard of “World Friendship Day”?
I confess that I had never heard of it . . . until it popped up on my phone today while searching for something on google.
Since I am “The Cultural Story-Weaver, ” the name naturally intrigued me and drew me in.
Read more about “My Life as a Cultural Thread Collector.”
As I began doing some further research, I began to find all kinds of posts and articles on “World Friendship Day.” It’s also known as “International Friendship Day.”
What in the World?
You may be asking yourself, “What in the world is ‘World Friendship Day’?”
It may seem obvious, but here’s what I found. Let’s all become “cultural learners” together!
How did it all begin?
“The idea of World Friendship Day was first proposed by Dr. Ramon Artemio Bracho in 1958 when he was at a dinner with his friends in Puerto Pinasco in Paraguay. The friends’ dinner gave rise to “World Friendship Crusade” . . . a foundation that promotes friendship and fosters care among all humans regardless of their race, religion, ethnicity.”
Firstpost
Sounds like “Weaving Cultures” to me!
The United Nations has declared July 30 as the day to celebrate “International Friendship Day,” although some countries such as Spain, Pakistan, India, and Mexico have their own separate dates for this special day.
Now that I live in Spain, I will have to keep my eyes and ears open for “World Friendship Day” in my new country.
(Oops! I just looked. It was July 20 . . . I just missed it! Next year, I will celebrate here in this land.)
How is it Celebrated?
In describing how “World Friendship Day” is celebrated across the globe, Firstpost goes on to say . . .
“Every year, friends commemorate the day by exchanging gifts, planning outings. People in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and South American countries celebrate the day by gifting each other colourful friendship bands and flowers. However, one must remember International Friendship Day is a UN observance and not a public holiday. “
“Cultural Awareness Challenge”
When I read this, I thought about the “Cultural Awareness Challenge” that I launched several months ago. It included five days of articles challenging us to become “cultural learners” and to build our “cultural awareness.”
Are My Eyes Open to the World Around Me?
Why is it Important to Have Cultural Awareness?
What is a ‘Cultural Learner’ and a ‘Cultural Critic’?
How to Grow and Cultivate Cultural Learning?
How to Open Our Kids to the World?
Those who signed up for the “Cultural Awareness Challenge” also received five emails, including a daily challenge—to go out and “Weave Cultures.”
When I heard about “World Friendship Day,” it reminded me of the Day 5 “Cultural Challenge.”
Here it is:
Day 5: Cultural Awareness Challenge . . . “Just Reach Out” and meet an “international”!
People will often ask me, “How do you meet internationals? Do you just go up and start talking to them?”
“Yes, I do!” I am naturally curious, and I love meeting new people—especially people who are different from me. However, I realize this doesn’t come easily for some.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
1. Talk to someone at a local ethnic restaurant—maybe a new one you can visit today! The first time Vincent and I ate lunch at the little Japanese restaurant in town, the waitress was very evidently Japanese. 🙂
It was the perfect occasion to meet an “international.”
When she introduced herself to take our order, we said, “We just arrived in town. This is our first time to this restaurant. Has it been here a long time? Are you from Japan? How long have you been living here?”
That’s how we met Tomoko. We visit her regularly at the restaurant and have invited her to our “Oasis of Cultures.”
2. If you see someone who appears “international,” look for a relationship bridge and some common ground to start a conversation. One day, I saw a veiled lady in Walmart. I went up to her and began to speak Arabic, thinking that would be a potential bridge. She didn’t speak Arabic, but it certainly broke the ice and got us laughing! We shared stories and exchanged phone numbers.
I have met a lot of “internationals” in my gym classes, so we already have health and exercise in common. We start out by saying, “Hello, how are you?” Little by little, as the weeks go by, we chat more. I often ask, “What brought you to (name of town)? I would love to hear more of your story. Could we meet for coffee sometime?”
3. If you don’t naturally cross paths with “internationals,” you can meet some online through free language exchange. Check out these “9 Free Language Exchange Websites.”
If you live near a big city, there may be “international groups” that meet regularly. For example, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, there is an Alliance Française group that we can join. You can find them in most major cities around the world. (I just found one in Spain as well!)
It’s amazing how many opportunities may be in your area!
It’s not too late to sign up for the “Cultural Awareness Challenge.” Today—”World Friendship Day”—is the perfect day to go out and find an international friend. Begin “Weaving Cultures” right where you are! It’s “World Friendship Day”! Go build a friendship bridge that can cross cultural, linguistic, and racial barriers.
SIGN UP FOR OUR “5-DAY CULTURAL AWARENESS CHALLENGE”—EXPAND YOUR GLOBAL TAPESTRY RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE!
—The Cultural Story-Weaver
Let’s Weave Cultures!
Where can you go today to find a new “international” friend? How can you go out into our world and break down cultural barriers through the bridge of friendship?
We invite you to tell us your own cultural stories and global adventures . . . as you engage with the world, breaking down barriers, building bridges, and “weaving cultures”! Write about them in the comment box below.
