New Friends Day

New Friends Day is celebrated annually on October 19th and is dedicated to the search for new acquaintances, which may well develop into a long and reliable friendship. Scientific studies have repeatedly shown that social support is essential for a person’s life to become happy and fulfilling.

History

The origin of this holiday is not exactly known, but it is believed to have been created by Internet users. In the 1920s, Hallmark Cards founder Joyce Hall proposed creating an analogue of New Friends Day as a marketing tool to attract customers, but the public did not take this initiative well. In 1958, the creation of the World Friendship Day was initiated in Paraguay, and in 2011, the UN announced the creation of another International Day of Friendship, which is celebrated annually on the first Sunday of August.

Fun facts

• In 1966, Elliot Aronson talked about the “clumsiness effect”, which suggests that awkward people can appear more attractive and make friends more easily.
• The symbol of world friendship is the character of Winnie the Pooh, as announced by the wife of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in 1998.
• 90% of social network users claim that the strongest friendship can be created exclusively through live communication and personal meetings.
• According to motivational speaker Jim Rohn, a person is the average of the five personalities with whom he spends the most time.

How to take part

On this national day, you can try to make new friends, whether it be people you run into in the store, café, or workplace. To start the conversation, simply talk to a stranger or unfamiliar person and try to get to know them better. Friendships can also be made through social networks – for many years you have been communicating with your Internet friends, and on the occasion of the holiday you can finally meet them in person.

When is New Friends Day celebrated in 2023?

New Friends Day is observed on October 19 each year.

Observations