51³Ô¹Ï

girls playing in the water at a beach with life jackets on
Group of friends playing at a beach in Gaza Strip.
Photo:UN Photo/Shareef Sarhan

Sharing the human spirit through friendship

Our world faces many challenges, crises and forces of division ¡ª such as poverty, violence, and human rights abuses ¡ª among many others ¡ª that undermine peace, security, development and social harmony among the world's peoples.

To confront those crises and challenges, their root causes must be addressed by promoting and defending a shared spirit of human solidarity that takes many forms ¡ª the simplest of which is friendship.

Through friendship ¡ª by accumulating bonds of camaraderie and developing strong ties of trust ¡ª we can contribute to the fundamental shifts that are urgently needed to achieve lasting stability, weave a safety net that will protect us all, and generate passion for a better world where all are united for the greater good.

Background

The International Day of Friendship was  in 2011 by the UN General Assembly with the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.

The resolution places emphasis on involving young people, as future leaders, in community activities that include different cultures and promote international understanding and respect for diversity.

To mark the International Day of Friendship the UN encourages governments, international organizations and civil society groups to hold events, activities and initiatives that contribute to the efforts of the international community towards promoting a dialogue among civilizations, solidarity, mutual understanding and reconciliation.

The International Day of Friendship is an initiative that follows on the proposal made by UNESCO defining the as a set of values, attitudes and behaviours that reject violence and endeavour to prevent conflicts by addressing their root causes with a view to solving problems. It was then by the UN General Assembly in 1997.

Actions to Promote a Culture of Peace

  • foster a culture of peace through education;
  • promote sustainable economic and social development;
  • promote respect for all human rights;
  • ensure equality between women and men;
  • foster democratic participation;
  • advance understanding, tolerance and solidarity;
  • support participatory communication and the free flow of information and knowledge;
  • promote international peace and security.

BTS 💜 show the power of love and kindness

?51³Ô¹Ï/Political and Peacebuilding Affairs

Essential Readings


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  • (General Assembly resolution)
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an abstract illustration of people engaged in an event

International days and weeks are occasions to educate the public on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems, and to celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity. The existence of international days predates the establishment of the 51³Ô¹Ï, but the UN has embraced them as a powerful advocacy tool. We also mark other UN observances.