Kathmandu, August 5, 2018: Every first Sunday of August, many people gather together to cherish and celebrate the friendship day with their beloved friends. This year, World Friendship Day is on the 5th of August. This day has been celebrated by soul mates who appreciate the significance of friendship in their life since the 19th century.The idea of celebrating this specific day for friendship was initiated by Joyce Hall, the founder of Hallmark cards in 1930. Back then, it was intended to be celebrated on the 2nd of August. This day became popular among people. They used to share the hallmark cards, celebrate and party. However, the people later realized that it was only the marketing strategy of Hallmark cards by Joyce. As a result, this practice couldn’t get the continuation.
Then the idea of a World Friendship day was first purposed on 20 July 1958 by Dr Ramon Artenio Bracho. The concept was formed during a dinner with friends in Puerto Pinasco, a town on river Paraguay. On the very night, the World Friendship Crusade was founded and a formal declaration was announced to celebrate World Friendship Day on 30th of July. The 65th session of the United Nations General Assembly on 27 July 2011 declared 30 July as “International Day of Friendship”. But people around the globe preferred to celebrate on the first Sunday of the August rather than 30 July. In India, Nepal, Bangladesh South American Countries, people celebrate the day by exchanging gifts, colourful friendship bands and flowers with each other and.
The celebration of this auspicious day is likely to strengthen the bond between two friends. Friends, with whom we ought to spend most of the time of our life, are the true gift to us. God could not be present everywhere and probably that was the reason that he made us potent enough to make the beautiful relationship called friendship. A true friend will never leave our side even if the whole world is against us. We celebrate the special day with our father, mother, and siblings. But, besides our family, a friend is the person who is always devoted to sorting the things out when the things are getting worse in your life.
Obviously, a friend in need is a friend indeed. The meaning of true friendship can never be explained in the few words. A wise man has once said that, thousands of books worth one friend but one true friend worth an entire library. May this special day of friendships be celebrated till the existence of humanity.
By: Pawan Bam
